Shadow of the Phoenix
by Calamitynexus
Summary: Harry doesn't go looking for trouble. It just finds him. This time it's in the guise of a dying boy. How was Harry supposed to know that saving him would have consequences that would change the Wizarding World forever? Now with more Kaiba! R
1. Voice of the Shadows

Disclaimer. I own neither Harry Potter nor Yu-Gi-Oh. Jk Rowling and Kazuki Takahashi are responsible for that. If I did the story would have ended up looking something like this.

Story is set in Order of the Phoenix for HP and after Canon for Yugioh, slight AU (it is a crossover.) More background will be forth coming.

Warnings: Violence, cursing (as in swears), cursing (as in magic), shonen ai (boys admitting they love each other, onoes, [think of everyone's favorite albinos])

-x—x---x—x-

"Running to Daddy now, are you? Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand?"

"Not this brave at night, are you?" sneered Dudley.

"This is night, Diddykin. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."

"I mean when you're in bed!" snarled Dudley.

He had stopped walking. Harry stopped too, staring at his cousin. From the little he could see of Dudley's face he was wearing a strangely triumphant look. * Harry opened his mouth, sure that Dudley was bluffing.

A strangled scream drew the attention of both boys as a small figure stumbled into the alley. Harry's wand was in his hand before he had even thought of drawing it. He pointed it towards the shape as it lurch sickeningly down the alley, leaning on the wall as though it couldn't carry it's own weight.

"What is that?" Dudley whispered, his voice choked with fear.

Harry's only response was silence. He didn't know. It wasn't a wizard, that was for sure. It was far too small for that. It moved too loudly and too strangely to be a house elf. Maybe a gremlin of some kind? If Hermione and ha been ther she would have known. Harry feverently wished that he could have been stuck in this place with her or Ron or even Neville at this point. Anyone would have been more useful than his stupid cousin Dudley.

The creature pitched forward, sliding from the wall and onto the ground. It tried to lift itself up, failing with a dull cry. It lay still for a moment. Then it emitted a noise. A very human noise.

Harry dashed forward. It only took him a few steps to reach the shaking bundle. Gentley, very gently, he lifted the small boy, guiding the body until it was leaning back against the wall. A sharp intake of breath let him know his cousin had followed but Harry paid him little mind. Years of first hand experience told him that the boy before him was in shock.

Harry placed his hand on the child's face, silently cheering when the head shot up. He took a deep breath. "Where are you hurt?" Harry sounded far calmer then he had expected too. His nerves were screaming in Cedric's voice.

-x—x---x—x-

"Where are you hurt?"

He laughed. It was all he could do was laugh. Laugh as tears poured down his cheeks. Laugh as the world he had fought so many times to save fell down around his ears and shattered into pieces of bloody starlight.

Then he was sliding as pain once again wracked his small form. He could feel himself falling forward. He was always falling. He tried to catch himself but knew he couldn't. He couldn't do this on his own. He wanted to so badly. He wanted to be strong enough to be alone. But he wasn't.

"You aren't alone."

He dragged air into his lungs so he could laugh. The bark that escaped his lips sounded harsh even to his own ears. Stupid voice. What did it know? Of course he was alone. _He_ didn't need him anymore.

"Who?"

His other half. His other half didn't need him. His other half was strong enough to be on his own. Darkness was always stronger than light.

"That's not true."

The voice sounded desperate to believe it's own words. He could almost feel a hand gripping his wrist. Then another wave of agony washed over him. He was unraveling. He could feel himself breaking apart. Like a dam. One crack and the water washed the entire thing away. He knew he was dying. He didn't know how but he knew. He was going to die here. Right here, right now, because he was no longer needed.

"You are needed."

He shook his head. It hurt. His head hurt. Everything hurt. He could feel the magic wrapping itself around his heart. Squeezing it. He was going to die. It was proof he was no longer needed. _He _had said he was no longer needed.

"You need to live."

No. He didn't. Everybody died. His only regret was that he would die unneeded.

"You aren't unneeded."

Oh yeah? Name one person who needed him.

-x—x---x—x-

"Oh yeah? Name one person who needs me." The dare came out a ragged gasp as the boy started to choke again.

Harry could feel the magic in the air. It hung like fumes from a potion, clinging to his skin. And it was whispering to him. Whispering the same thing his mind was screaming.

_Save him._

It felt as though the very shadows of the night had added to the cry. The boy in his arms whimpered as he began to convulse again as though under the Cruciatus curse.

_Save him._

The boy whimpered as his body stopped twitching, but his breathing was shallow.

Harry bit his lip. He could taste the blood. He knew what he should do but he had no idea what would happen.

_Save him._

Bloody hell. That had never stopped Harry before.

"I need you."

Almost immedielty the magic closed in. It was cold. Harry could feel his body freezing as the magic pressed down against him, forcing him to the ground. It pinned him there with a life of it's own, holding him down as he tried to squirm from it's grip. Harry tried to breathe, trying to keep from panicking. The air was freezing, turning his saliva to ice in his mouth. The cold seeped into him, freezing everything. Harry could hear his heart slowing. He was going to die. Like his parents. Like Quirrel. Like Cedric.

_And?_

Harry heard the voice echo in his head. The voice that had moments ago been begging for the other's boy's life. "Will he be okay?" Harry's oxygen starved brain giggled at him for talking to voices, then berated him for dying in front of Dudley. He was going to make his cousin's day.

_He will live._

Harry paused at that. He was dying, but someone else was going to live. He cringed as Cedric flashed before his eyes. He hadn't been able to save Cedric like this. He wished he could of. "Then I'm okay with dying."

The voice gave a satisfied nod in his head. _Then the shadows will accept you as the light does. _

Harry sat up with a gasp, his body shivering fiercely as heat slowly returned to it. He blinked stupidly at the gloom, recognizing the shape of the alley as the darkness seemed to recede with a whisper.

_Protect him._

_-x—x---x—x-_

* That's all from Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix. Pg 18. By JK.

AN-Okay, I know it is a bit confusing right now. The next chapter is going to get into explanations. And will be longer. Feel free to send me any questions, comments concerns or suggestions. And i live for reviews.


	2. Alley Attack!

"Harry!" Dudley's shout pulled him from his dazed stupor as his cousin lifted him form the street of the alleyway. "Blimey Harry, I thought you were dead!"

Harry noted with dry amusement that Dudley sounded relieved by his apparent survival. "I'm okay, Dudley. I'll live. What happened?"

Dudley dropped Harry's arm, taking a step back and twitching nervously. He leaned forward. "The shadows _ate _you, Harry."

Of course asking Dudley for information on a magical event was going to be useless. Harry shook his head, freeing it from the last of the cobwebs. He looked round, dropping to his knees when he spotted the source of all this weirdness still lying on alley. Harry's hand brushed against the boy's throat, feeling for a pulse. Instead they touched cool leather, obviously an adornment of some kind. But the boy murmured at the pressure. Harry released a breath.

"What are you doing?" Dudley watched with horror as Harry grabbed the boy's arms, shifting and hefting until the unconscious figure was draped across his back, short legs sticking out from under Harry's armpit.

"He's coming with us. We can't just leave him here."

"Mum will never allow you to bring another wizard home." Leave it to Dudley to make life worse.

Harry thought about it then shrugged. "We can't leave him here." Harry started back down the alley.

"But he's filthy."

"I'm sure he'll wash."

"I bet he's sick."

"I bet he's not."

"He spoke funny. That wasn't English. He was talking gibberish. He-" Dudley stopped speaking as Harry grabbed his arm, pushing him against the alley wall. "Harry?" He whispered fearfully.

"Shut up, Dudley." There was no malice in Harry's tone. Just concentration. That scared Dudley into silence, which was just what Harry needed. He cocked his head, listening and praying he heard nothing.

A hoarse familiar rattling of breath let him know he wasn't that lucky. He could hear the faint whispers of cloaks, as all other sounded faded into darkness. The fates must be mocking at him.

"Dudley," Harry spoke as calmly as he could, "you need to take the kid from my back. I'm going to draw my wand. Then you need to slowly and quietly follow me. If I tell you to run, you run."

Harry couldn't see Dudley's nod in the dark but he could feel the weight pulled off of his back. Harry pulled out his wand. He took a few steps away from Dudley then slowly peered around.

The Dementor was staying still in the alley, breathing in deeply. Harry could feel the cold, but it didn't bother him. He had been far colder only moments ago. He pushed the knot of fear in his stomach aside. Slowly he slid back to his cousin. "This way," Harry's whisper was barely a hiss.

Slowly the trio began working it's way back in the direction they had already come from. Harry had no idea where they could run, where they could hide. He could summon the Knight Bus, maybe go to the Burrow. But that wouldn't work. Dudley wouldn't be able to see it and as much as he hated his cousin he would not wish for death by Dementors for him.

Harry heard another rattling his. From up head. He stopped in his tracks. There was more than one.

He spun to warn Dudley, to try and come up with a plan. Fluttering cloaks caught his eye. The first Dementor had spotted them.

"Dudley, duck!" His cousin wasted no time with the order, dropping to the ground and using his large body to help protect the younger boy they had found. The younger boy that was going to die for having met Harry Potter. Just like Cedric died.

Harry could hear the echoes of laughter in his mind. The cold and cruel sound cutting through his consciousness. Still he lifted his wand. "Expecto patronum." Harry wasn't surprised when a wisp of silver light shot from the tip and died in the night. Of course it wouldn't work now. Not when other people's lives were on the line.

Harry shook his head, trying to push through the Dementor induced despair. He could hear the second one coming up behind him. He could see the first one approaching, lifting its scaly hands in beckoning, promising a fate far worse than death.

Anger bubbled through Harry. It was dark and viscous. He had just escaped a painful death. He wasn't going to curl up now. And he had saved someone doing so. That's right. Someone wasn't dead!

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Silver light burst from the tip of his wand. Harry watched, waiting for the familiar stag to appear to drive the Dementors off. Instead the light continued to shine, building up to such intensity that Harry had to turn his head, shutting his eyes to protect from the growing light. Still he winced as the brightness seeped through the lids. His arm hummed from the magic flowing through it into the wand. The humming grew, moving from his arm into his shoulder, then spreading throughout his body.

Harry gasped in surprise, opening his eyes in shock. A pure white world greeted, save for one black smudge before him. The Dementor was still. Even its cloak had stopped fluttering. But Harry didn't want it still. He wanted it gone. He wanted both them gone. The humming reached a climax.

Then it was gone and Harry was once again on the ground, panting and feeling exhausted and light headed.

"Harry?"

"Dudley." Silence stretched between the two of them. "Are you all right?"

He heard his cousin shift on the ground. "I'm cold."

Harry nodded, trying to blink away the spots in his vision. "You need chocolate. But you'll live."

"Oh." There was more silence. "Are you all right?"

Harry thought about the question. Dudley had managed not to be a total prat. He deserved an honest answer. "I can't move."

Dudley's response was lost in a screech. "_Harry Potter!_" Harry bit back a groan. He recognized Mrs. Figg's voice. The woman was probably about to accuse him of attacking Dudley. Or one of her cats. And she would be able to see is wand. Harry frowned at that, but he couldn't exactly hide the thing.

"Hello Mrs. Figg." Harry tried to make his tone sound conversational, as though he, his cousin and an unconscious stranger were not lying half blind in the back of a dark alley.

He heard someone flop down beside him. He felt the hand on his jaw, twisting his head. "Harry, are you all right?"

"He said he can't move." Dudley supplied.

"I am going to _kill_ Mundungus Fletcher!" Harry frowned, not recognizing the name. "We need to get him out of here before the Dementors come back. Can you carry him?"

"Then who's going to carry him?" Harry frowned. He could here a rushing in his ears. That was probably why the conversation was confusing.

"Goodness, there are two?! I can't carry him. I'm too old for such nonsense." Harry blinked, his vision clearing enough for him to see Mrs. Figg wringing her hands. "Oh I am going to kill Mundungus! I warned him, I _warned_ him! I told him I'd flay him alive if he left! Good thing I put Mr. Tibble on the case. But now what am I supposed to do? Dementors! Of all things, Dementors!"

"Mrs. Figg, are you a witch?" Harry asked blurrily. If she said no he'd claim he had been hallucinating.

"I'm a squib, dear boy. Can you move yet?"

Harry experimental tried to lift an arm. It was easier than processing that his batty cat neighbor was actually aware of the magical world. "Not an inch."

He watched as she paced, then frowned when something caught his eye. "Mrs. Figg, what's that?"

"What's what?" He could here the fear in her voice.

"That bundle on the ground."

Harry watched curiously as Mrs. Figg cautiously moved over to the dark spot on the ground. She poked it with a slippered foot. When it didn't move she cautiously bent over and picked it up. A long dark cloak fluttered from her hand. Mrs. Figg worked her jaw before voicing a strangled answer. "It's a Dementor's cloak."

Harry frowned. Not only was there a Dementor out there, but it was also naked. The thought repulsed and amused him at the same time. He could almost picture the naked thing explain to Voldemort how it got that way.

A _crack_ resounded through the alley. Harry blinked as a squat and dirty man appeared a few feet from where Dudley was cradling the unconscious boy they had found earlier. Part of Harry's mind warned him to be afraid but it was quickly drowned out by the though of naked tap dancing Dementor.

"S'up Figgy? Whatcha got there?"

"A Dementor's cloak. From a DEMENTOR! You left and the boy got attacked by bloody DEMENTORS!"

The man rocked back, stunned. "Dementors? 'ere?"

"YES!" Shrieked Mrs. Figg. Harry knew it was going to take a lot of tea to get her to calm down. "YES THEY WERE HERE! Now go get the Order! NOW! Harry's hurt and I can't move him!"

"What about him?" Mundungus pointed at Dudley.

Mrs. Figg swung a bad that had been hanging from her waist. It struck Mundungus across the face. "Get the Order now! We aren't out of danger yet! Go or I will feed you to Mr. Tibble you worthless pile of harpy vomit!"

A crack echoed through the alley again, reducing its occupants back down to four. Harry frowned, trying to think of something to calm the frantic Mrs. Figg down. But his mind was distracted. His tap dancing Dementor had found a cane and a top hat.

More cracks were sounded and suddenly the alley was filled with people. Harry heard a woman whisper and light flooded the alley. It was blotted out as a face filled his vision.

"Harry?" He heard the fearful whisper. It took a few seconds to place.

"Hiya Professor Lupin." He tried to sound cheerful, but he was getting awfully tired. He frowned. The Dementor now had a werewolf dressed as a cabaret girl dancing with him.

"Harry, where does it hurt?" He was lifted from the alley into a pair of warm arms. The warmth felt good. It felt nice. Mm. Comfy. "Harry?"

He blinked then remembered the question. "No where. No pain. Just can't move. Sleepy." As he said it he realized just how tired he was. If he could have moved he would have snuggled closer to the heat source and past out right there.

"What in blazes happened here?" He recognized that growl. Moody. Professor Moody. He should answer. But he was so tired.

"Well?"

He'd explain in the morning.

-x—x---x—x-

Two ghostly figures raced through the streets of Little Whinging. Both moved with a form of panicked determination, as though every step was measured by lives at stake. Light from street lamps struck the figures, both of who were pale. Shock white hair bounced the light back as the boys wove there way through the lights and shadows. Had anyone been bothering to look out there window they would have soon found themselves believing in ghosts.

One of the figures held a golden item in his hand. It shone eerily; it's light deepening the shadows. One of the points on it was aiming itself towards the south, the same direction the boys were moving in. Then the light flickered and died, leaving cold metal in the albino's hand.

"What the fuck?"

"Bakura, what happened?" Ryou approached his Yami as the stopped, both of them staring at the ring.

"How the fuck should I know, Landlord? It was working then it wasn't. I didn't fucking make this thing."

"Calm down Bakura. I'm sure it's nothing…"

"Nothing?! We can't find the midget and my fucking Ring is broken! How the fuck is that nothing?! Fuck! Can this night get any worse?"

"Bakura…." Ryou moved closer, placing his hand on Bakura's. He knew how worried the thief was. He could feel it pouring through the link, matching his own. And it would stay until they found Yugi. Then, it could become fury. Then it could become vengeance. "I'm sure we will find him. We always do. He'll be fine." They both knew it was a lie. It was unlikely that Yugi would ever be fine again.

The Ring gave a violent jerk, the needle coming back to life. But instead of pointing south it swung itself towards the northwest. The glow was dimmer, indicating distance.

"What the fuck?!"

Ryou just sighed. "Back to the house. I have a car."

-x—x---x—x-

Please Review! Pretty Please! Pretty pretty pretty please? With a baby Panda on top?


	3. Not the Burrow

He rolled over with a moan.

"Harry?"

The voice belonged to Dudley. Harry didn't want to talk to Dudley. Ever.

"Harry, mate?"

That voice belonged to Ron. Why was Ron in his room? Why was Dudley in his room? Why the hell were Ron and Dudley in the same room?

Harry opened his eyes, his curiosity winning over his desire to stay in bed. Sure enough Ron sat in a chair right close to the bed. Dudley was resting nervously against a wall. He leaned forward as his eyes connected with Harry's.

"Bloody hell Harry, you look _awful_."

"Why thank you Ronald," Harry snarled, a headache tugging at his eyes. "Here I thought I would be winning a pageant today." He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his hand. "Where are my glasses?"

"I've got 'em," mumbled Dudley. He approached the bed; handing the spectacles to Harry with a delicacy no one would have suspected the rotund boy capable of. "Mr. Lupin gave them to me to keep them safe for you. When you fell asleep, back in the alley." Dudley looked at Harry. He looked so… lost. Part of Harry wanted to snarl, glad to see Dudley looking out of his element. But Harry knew how awful it was to be attacked like this, especially the first time.

He sighed as he sat up, placing his glasses on his face. "Thank you, Dudley." Harry stared through the lenses. "You even managed to keep them clean." He looked around the room, frowning at how unfamiliar it was. "Where are we? This isn't the Burrow."

Ron nervously played with the edged of his shirt. "I think I should go get somebody else. They can explain this better." Ron practically bolted from his chair, leaving Harry and Dudley alone.

Harry sat in silence, trying to think of something to say but it was Dudley who broke the silence. "That kid's here too. The one we found. You found. He's still asleep. No one knows why. I told them what happened but no one believed me. I told them all of it. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to but they said it would help them know what was wrong with you. So I told them. They said you were okay but I was scared. What if you didn't wake up? What if that kid doesn't wake up? I don't want you to die, Harry."

Harry gaped at his cousin as tears started to pour down the bigger boy's face. He put his arms on Dudley's, trying to calm him down. "I'm fine, Dudley. Really I'm okay. No one is going to die. You helped me save that boy, Dudley. I saw you. You tried to protect him. You saved him. He'll be fine. I'm fine. You helped with that, okay?"

Dudley looked at Harry with something akin to awe. "I helped save someone?"

Harry wanted to laugh hysterically. Instead he nodded as seriously as he could. "Yes, you did, Dudley."

The Dursley fell into Ron's chair, lapsing into silence. Harry used the time to get out of bed, testing out exactly how sturdy his legs were. They held far better than he expected them to. He even made it a few steps before the door opened.

Harry heard his name before being swallowed by a pair of loving arms. "Oh Harry! We were so worried about you! I can't believe what happened. Dementors! My word!" The embrace pulled back to reveal Molly Weasley and her storm of motherly love and ministrations. "Now dear! What are you doing out of bed! Get back in there! Scoot!"

"But Mrs. Weasley, I feel fine!"

"I'm sure you do dear," Harry felt her grab him by the shoulders, trying to push him back to the bed.

He ducked out of her grasp. "Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine. But I need to know what's going on. Where am I? How did I get here? What happened in the alley? Why is Dudley here? Am I safe? What about the Dementors? What's going on?!" Harry could feel the panic beginning to lace his voice. He left it there as Mrs. Weasley's face softened.

The woman sighed. "Fine. You won't rest until you know, anyway. Follow me downstairs and everything will be explained. You too dear." She flashed a motherly smile at Dudley who looked at his feet in response. Harry motioned for Dudley to get up. His cousin fell into line behind the redheaded, allowing Harry to take up the rear. This allowed him to ogle the house as in privacy Mrs. Weasley led them down a darkened staircase.

So far Harry was not liking what he saw. The group walked quietly past a series of small heads mounted on plaques on the wall. On close inspection the heads could tell to belong to house elves. Harry gave a slight shudder and looked at Dudley's back, trying to ignore the glassy eyes that watched as the group passed. Next the tip toed past a large set of moth eaten curtains. At the bottom of the stairs was an old fashion room filled with cobwebs, gas lamps and ancient portraits. The place looked like something out of a museum. Or a horror movie. The type where the couple had to spend the night to inherit the house. Harry wanted to gag. Or scream. Maybe both.

The followed her into a large old fashion kitchen that kept with theme of the rest of the house. Pots and pans hung from a ceiling that was braced on stone walls. The only light came from few lamps and fireplace that had been hacked into the walls. The table was solid wood, old and long. Paper littered it and the chairs had been left where they landed when their last occupant had left. Except for two near the back that held figures that were talking in low voices. They looked up as Mrs. Weasley made her way into the room. Both of them broke into small haggard smiles as they spotted who tailed her.

"Harry! Glad to see you are still in the land of the living."

Harry ruefully shook his shaggy hair. "Glad to still be here." His gaze slid from his old professor to the other man. Harry felt his voice lower. "Hello Sirius."

"Harry." Sirius Black stood. It didn't take a trained Auror to see that he had lost weight. His face, what was visible under his long dark hair, looked gaunt and bitter. He swept towards Harry and gathered his godson into a tight embrace. "Don't go scaring us like that." The scolding was whispered so that only Harry heard.

"Sorry," Harry whispered back. "I wasn't even looking for trouble this time. I swear it!" He felt the older man nod before releasing him. "So," he asked so that everyone could hear, "how long was I out for?"

Sirius mussed Harry's hair with a bark of laughter. "You slept for a day and a half." Harry nodded. Not the longest he had been out for but it did explain why Dudley was acting so… needy. Harry plopped himself into a chair next to Sirius, not surprised by Dudley taking the one on his other side.

Harry opened his mouth to repeat the list of questions he had asked Mrs. Weasley. Lupin held up his hand, cutting Harry off before he could even begin. The werewolf sent him a tired smile. "I know you are curious, Harry, but it would best wait for everyone to join us. It will save you the trouble of having to repeat yourself."

The boy sunk back into his chair with an angry sigh.

-x—x---x—x-

"Now what?"

Bakura snarled at his hikari, partly just because he hated knowing his lighter half had a point, partly because he was hungry, tired, grumpy and had nothing that he could kill to make himself feel better. The snarl dissolved into a sigh as he saw Ryou rub at one of his eyes. His normally white skin had taken on a slightly translucent look and the skin under his eyes was dark enough it could be bruising. Stress always did such bad things to his hikari. Bakura really needed to kill something.

He returned his attention to the problem before them.

The Millennium Ring, in all its ancient glory, was being daft. The bloody thing was pointing at the wall of a building. But whenever Bakura took a step towards the doors to either side the Ring would just fade, shutting down until Bakura stepped back to his original spot. He could move backwards and forwards, but the moment stepped off some invisible line the Ring would go cold in his hands.

He snarled at the piece of ancient trash.

"Bakura?"

The spirit grabbed his face, running his hand over where his scar used to be. That had been life times ago but the action helped him remember. Remember what he had been.

He turned with a smug smirk to his light. "Patience, Landlord. I'll have this figured out in no time." He wasn't the Thief King for nothing.

-x—x---x—x-

More people had entered the kitchen. Harry only recognized a few. Joining Professor Lupin and his godfather was Alistair Moody, Mundungus Fletcher, and Arthur and Bill Weasley. They were the familiarity in a sea of the obscure. It was difficult to tell everyone new apart, the faces bleeding together. Two stood out by virtue of contrast. One belonged to a woman with hair that was a radioactive green and the other belonged to a dark wizard with a calm face. His teeth flashed white every time he spoke.

"So," Arthur Weasley clapped his hands together, "are we ready to start?"

The dark wizard shook his head. "Not as of yet. Dumbledore wishes to be here."

As though summoned by magic, which he probably had been Harry realized when he stopped to think about it, the old wizard himself strode through the doors. Gone was the bounce from his step and the twinkle in his eyes. Dumbledore just looked like a very old man with too many burdens as he sat down at the head of the table. "Harry."

"Headmaster, what is going on? Who are these people? Why am I here? Where is here? Is there any news on-" Dumbledore raised a hand, Harry once again finding himself cut off.

"All your questions will be answered in time." Harry noted with a growing bitterness that Dumbledore didn't say _what_ time. "But let as start at the beginning. Introductions."

Harry wanted to scream as name after name was thrown at him. There was no way he was going to remember all of them. So far only two had stuck out, just as their owners had. Nymphadora Tonks, the woman with green hair and a willingness to hex anyone who dared call her by the "n-word" as she had dubbed her first name and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the man with white teeth and a voice that could melt chocolate. All the other names seemed to spin around the room. There had been a Elphias Dodge somewhere and a Emmeline Vance somewhere else. Sturgis Podmore, Hestia Jones, and so on and so forth. Though Harry to admit he was amused when he was introduced to Alistair Moody. The man was as his evil double had portrayed him to be.

"And, as you all are aware, this is Harry Potter." Harry bit his lip to keep from shifting in his chair as every eye in the room save for Moody's magical one, which was currently rolling in the back of his head, focused on him. "Now Harry," Dumbledore asked kindly, "can you please tell us what happened?"

Harry looked around the strange group. He looked around the strange kitchen. He looked at Dudley, who honestly could have been about to faint at any moment. Then he looked back to Dumbledore. "No."

People gasped around the room. The old man's silvery eyebrows shot up. "No?" He echoed faintly.

Harry nodded firmly. "I am _not_ telling anyone anything until a few of my questions are answered."

"Now Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley started but was cut off with a vicious glare from Harry.

"No," Harry said hotly. "I have been alone for a month waiting to hear news of body's piling up or find Death Eaters on my door step. Now I find out that not only have you been watching me but that you also have a, have a _clubhouse_. When was I going to be told? And Ron's here. I'll eat my wand if Hermione isn't. I want answers. Until I have some I am not telling you anything." Harry leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and lifting his chin defiantly. Faces around the room were mixed with shock, anger and disappointment. Except for Sirius who was smirking under his dark locks. He gave Harry's leg a slight squeeze under the table, letting the boy know he had at least one ally.

"Now Harry," Dumbledore stared in using his 'let's be reasonable' tone, "we can't go spilling all of our secrets in front of," he paused, as though searching for what to say next. Harry would have bet his firebolt Dumbledore was just doing it for effect. "In front of present company."

"Then send Dudley home. He shouldn't be here. Aunt Petunia has probably torn all her hair out in worry. He has already told you his version and he doesn't know a lick about magic. Find someone to take him home so we can get started."

"Now Harry, be reasonable." Dumbledore leaned forward, as though trying to coax an animal out of its hole.

"I am being reasonable," snapped Harry. "Now you have my terms. The matter is closed for discussion." With that Harry titled his head back resting it on the back of the chair. When Dumbledore made further comments Harry ignored the man, instead focusing on keeping his breathing steady as he ranted internally.

Sirius was the first to point out the sound reasoning. Shacklebolt soon joined the bandwagon, then Lupin. Harry bit back a smile as the room conformed itself, for once, to his will. After much furious whispering it was finally agreed that Shacklebolt would escort Harry's cousin home. Harry was a little surprised, but he noted moodily that had Sirius not been his technical legal guardian he probably would have been the one sent. It seemed that Dumbledore did play favorites. Harry tucked that piece of knowledge away.

Dudley stood up to leave. As he moved he bent in close to Harry. "Thank you." It was a faint whisper, but Harry heard the sincerity in it. A few days ago that would have made him think the world had finally ended. But today it just seemed fitting.

Harry nodded to his cousin. "I'll write you when he wakes up." Dudley nodded gratefully then lumbered out of the room. Silence stretched hotly between those around the dinner table.

Dumbledore broke it, probably trying to maintain control. It made Harry want to snort. "All right, Harry. I'll explain as best as I can."

Harry nodded. He wasn't going to let him stop until he got the answers he had been looking for all summer.

-x—x---x—x-

Two figures watched two figures emerge from the newly formed building. The larger pair moved down the alley, disappearing into the night before the matching albinos came out from behind their cover.

"Did you see that? Did you fucking see that?" Bakura jumped up and down like a child in candy shop with a credit card. He knew that breaking into that building was going to be one of the greatest conquests in his life. He relished the challenge.

His anticipation was dulled by Ryou's faint voice. "Oh dear."

He spun to his Landlord, noting the boy's worry. "You know something." It wasn't a question.

Ryou nodded. (There is something I haven't quite told you about. . ..)

((Really? I hadn't noticed)) Bakura snarled out loud. He hated being the last to know. The snarl turned into a moan as information bombarded him through the link. Ryou's memories flowed smoothly into his mind. He could see the boy's mother fiddling with a stick, his sister petting an owl. Then they blurred as more poured forth, each with a new revelation about a world that Bakura hadn't known existed.

When the information transfer finally stopped mere seconds later, all Bakura could do was glare at his Landlord who was staring down at his feet. Ryou looked up with deep brown eyes, filled with worry and despair. Bakura sighed and leaned forward, resting his forehead against Ryou's. ((We will talk about this later. For now we will concentrate on getting the midget back.)) Bakura turned back to where the magical house was hidden. A grin split his face. ((Now… where to start?))

-x—x---x—x-

AN-I have no idea why Dudley lasted this long into the story.

Thanks to my reviewers! Both of you! I am glad this story is at least slightly interesting. I hope to increase that to a fairly interesting soon. Explanations will be dolled out shortly. Sorry about Harry's character being a little inconsistent. I'm having a hard time balancing him out to where he needs to be while avoiding his "AUUUUUU ANGRY" mode from the book.

For the rest of you out there; I know you are reading this. You alerted it. Please send a review my way when you form an opinion?


	4. Teenagers Scare Me

"This," Dumbledore waved a hand to indicate the group gathered, "is the Order of the Phoenix. We are the front line of defense against Voldemort," he paused to allow people to have their moment of shuddering, "and all of his supporters. We helped as best we could in the first war and have reformed for the second." Dumbledore settled back into his chair politely.

"And?" Harry prodded. Did Dumbledore really think that that explanation was good enough?

"And so here we are at the Headquarters of the Order."

Harry rolled his eyes. He took a deep breath, placing his hands on his pants and balling the material up in his fists as he worked to calm himself down. When he managed he tried again. "And? What's been going on? Has it started yet? Are people dying yet?"

Dumbledore shook his head. Harry was certain if he were closer the man would have grabbed his hand so he could pat it. "Now Harry, that isn't really any of your concern. We will protect you until you get back to Hogwarts where you will be safe."

"Safe like Cedric?" The question came out as bitter as a base and burning like acid. The room fell into a tense silence. Harry felt Sirius's hand find his own under the table. Moody gave a harsh frown as his magic eye swiveled to the table but didn't mention anything.

Dumbledore's voice was quiet and disapproving. "Now Harry, that was unfair."

Harry snarled, watching in satisfaction as people rocked back in their chairs. "Oh. I'm sorry. Forgive me if I forgot to mind your delicate sensibilities. I was distracted by the dark wizard who is trying to kill me. It does tend to occupy one's mind."

"We have the situation under control." Harry could see that Mad Eye didn't like where this conversation had been headed. Harry shot the retired Auror a glare.

"Oh yes. I can see that. That's how come I just had to fight off a pair of Dementors in the middle of bloody Surrey. Of course, with the Great Moody on the case nothing could go wrong. Unless of course you manage to get yourself captured by a Death Eater again." Harry smirked as the grizzled man's scarred face went through a variety of color changes.

"Harry," Dumbledore's tone was full of warning.

Harry leaned forward. He'd leave Moody alone if Moody left him alone. "Tell me what's going on."

Dumbledore sighed into his beard, the world seeming to weight that much heavier upon him. "There hasn't been anything, yet. We have our people following Death Eaters but they aren't doing anything. There have been no raids, no deaths that we have been able to link back to them. They are waiting for something."

"For what?"

"I'm not certain. I'll tell you when I have something concrete." Harry frowned but left it at that. Dumbledore continued on. "More important for you to know is that you have a trial with the Ministry of Magic." Harry blinked in shock. Sirius gave his hand another squeeze. Dumbledore shifted his shoulders before continuing. "You have been charged with the use of underage magic. The Ministry will have a hearing to see if you are guilty and to decide whether or not you should be allowed to continue your education at Hogwarts. You will be found innocent. There is a clause on underage magic in extreme circumstances. You will be fine. I will personally defend you from Wizengamot on this matter."

Harry squeezed Sirius's hand back. He slumped back in his chair, his tide of rage cooling into a familiar sense of despair. He let out a bitter laugh. "So the Ministry doesn't want Crazy Potter back in the school?"

"It won't come to that." Lupin spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. He sounded tired, but determined.

Harry just looked down at the table. Everyone left him alone with his thoughts, not wanting to provoke another tantrum. When Harry spoke again he sounded old. "When were you actually planning on telling me this."

"We weren't." Harry didn't miss the sharp look Dumbledore flashed Sirius. His godfather may have, or perhaps he just chose to ignore it. "It was thought that for your own safety you should be told as little as possible. We didn't wish panic you." Sirius's voice was as bitter as when he spoke of Wormtail. Harry rubbed his face with his hand trying to fend off stress.

"Harry," Dumbledore spoke softly, how Harry imagined a grandparent would. Not that he had anything to compare it to. "Harry, we need to know what happened. We need to find out if you're sick or injured."

Harry snorted again. He hated to admit that Dumbledore had a point. So he launched into his explanation, starting from where he and Dudley had found the boy in the alley. He carefully abridged the encounter, making sure to fail to mention the voices he had heard. The last thing he needed to do was give the people of the Order another reason to try and keep him safe. They asked for the sensations he had felt over and over again, rewording the same question as though that would cause him to change his answer. They stopped when he snapped that it _hadn_'_t_ felt like Dementors and asking him again wasn't going to change the answer. The Dementor encounter was fair easier to explain up until Harry told them about the Patronus. He gave them a detailed account of what happened, explaining how the spell had looked, how it had felt and how tired Harry had been after casting it. He explained every detail he could remember, right up until passing out in the alley.

"Harry," Lupin spoke softly. The fact that he was trying not to spook him scared Harry more. "We believe you vaporized the Dementors."

"Pull the other one. It's got bells on it." Harry glanced around the grim faces. "You can't be serious." Sirius squeezed his hand again. Harry lowered his head to the table. His shoulders began to shake.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried out in alarm, rising from her chair. Her husband caught her wrist, pulling her back down as Harry lifted his head. Bitter laughter could be heard.

"Well," Harry chuckled into his hand. "I guess they won't be bothering me again." He once again looked around. "So what does this mean?"

Dumbledore leaned forward, looking more grounded than Harry had ever seen the man. "Harry," the man inhaled shakily, as though he expected the world to end if he finished the statement. "It means your magic is getting stronger."

The house shook violently.

-x—x---x—x-

"Tada!" Bakura flashed a devilish grin, shaking dust out of his man of white hair. "I told you I'd figure it out in no time." ((I'm not the Thief King for nothing you know.))

Ryou answered mentally as he hacked in the midst of debris. (You will have alerted everyone!)

((Good. Saves me from having to look.)) He grinned sadistically as the sound of feet grew louder. Two teens there own age thumped down an ancient staircase. ((See? All part of the plan.))

Ryou heaved a mental, coughing to clear more dust from his lungs. He shuddered as he glanced around, hoping the home's owner hadn't been overly fond of the room. The walls were now cracked and dust was pouring from the ceiling. All the furniture was slammed up against the walls, most of showing signs of being broken. Ryou winced as he spotted an antique. Well, half an antique. Maybe a third of an antique?

"Bloody hell!" The exclamation voiced Ryou's thoughts exactly. He looked at the teens at the foot of the stairs. A boy with fiery red hair and freckles stared out at the mess, his jaw hanging open. Behind him a girl with bushy brown hair peeked over his shoulder, her face pale at the sight of the damaged room. Neither of them noticed the source of the destruction until Bakura slapped his hands together.

"Right. I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I have the urge to kill something. If you don't want anymore trouble then return Yugi Mutou and we will be on our way."

The teens stared at Bakura as though he had two heads and rabbit ears. The boy's jaw moved up and down soundlessly. Ryou had the impression that the boy wasn't too bright. Before the teen could connect his brain and his mouth two cracks filled the room. Two more red heads had entered. They stared at the destruction in wide-eyed amazement.

One of them finally spoke up. "Do you fancy that we are going to get blamed for this?"

"Most definitely," the other answered grimly. "Though it might be worth it if we can learn how to do that. It would be useful in potions."

Bakura snarled, gaining the newest occupants' attention. They spun, drawing their magical sticks and pointing it towards him. Ryou ducked behind his yami.

"Who are you?"

"And what are you doing here?"

"I. Am. Looking. For. Yugi Mutou." Bakura made sure to say each word very clearly. There was a fifty-fifty chance he was dealing with complete morons. "Now. Where is he?"

The red twins looked at each other. Then they turned back to Bakura. He didn't need Ryou's squeak to know what they were doing.

"Stupefy!" Twin red jets of light shot out towards Bakura. He ducked, noting the crashing sound behind him. He snarled as they moved to lift their wands again. "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Ryou stood, holding his hand out as the stunning spells arced towards he and his darker half. He almost smiled as they hit an invisible wall, bouncing and striking down a portrait that had managed to cling to the wall.

((So you _can_ be useful.))

(Just hurry and get Yugi. I'm not good at this. And I am supposed to have a wand for this sort of thing.)

((Bitch bitch bitch. Is that all you do, Landlord? Besides, if you would just let me use shadow magic this whole thing would have been over by now. But oh no. You say we have to remain inconspicuous. I think we are pretty fucking conspicuous right now!))

(Bakura, please! I don't know how many times I can do this.)

((Fine. Don't get your knickers in a knot.)) Bakura stood up, letting out a guttural snarl. He hid his smile as everyone in the room took a step back. "Now," he hissed angrily, "return Yugi."

"Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Ryou winced as the spell once again bounced of his shield. A body was heard thumping into the ground. He glanced down the hallway, noting that they were about to have a whole hell of a lot more company. (Bakura,) he warned. His darker half looked down the hallway and swore. He pulled Ryou back, forcing his hikari back into a corner so he could protect him from all the people in the room.

((Maybe we should have used stealth.))

Ryou palm made contact with his face. And his yami made fun of other people for being idiots.

-x—x---x—x-

Harry's emerald eyes were as wide as saucers as they caught a glimpse of the room he had walked through earlier. There was little to nothing left. All the furniture had been reduced to indescribable rubble. Holes had been blasted in the walls and giant cracks ran through them. The twins stood off to one side, both of them pale but determined, their wands held out before them, raised and ready to go. Ron and Hermione were at the foot of the stairs, neither of them moving, probably so as not to attract attention.

And crowded in the corner stood the source of this disaster. Two boys, probably about Harry's age, stood with their fronts facing the newest set of wizards to rush in. Harry blinked at their appearance. Both of them were fair. No, fair was a poor description. They made the Malfoys look dark. Both boys had skin that was white, the only coloring coming the dust they had managed to cover themselves in . It had settled in their hair, giving the long locks a grayish tinge. Harry bet that as soon as they were cleaned up it too would prove to be white. Both of them were rather slender and of medium height. And both looked tired and determined.

That was were the similarities ended. The one in the back had large dark eyes. A brown that looked as though it could deepen to black. His features were soft and gentle with his hair falling smoothly over his shoulders. His clothes only enforced the opinion. The boy was wearing a long sleeved cotton shirt and soft blue cotton slacks. He looked upper class, one of the gentry as some would say.

His twin was dressed like a punk. A deep red leather vest clung tightly to his form. It was cut low, revealing enough chest that Aunt Petunia would have fainted had she seen the boy. One his arms were golden straps that hooked into the dark red material. He was wearing dark leather pants that looked too tight to be moving in. Still the boy seemed to manage it just fine as he took an intimidating step forward, snarling. His face was pointy, once again reminding Harry of Draco. The boy's hair was long like his counterpart's, but it was messy and ragged, sticking out at odd angles. Most intriguing though were the eyes. Eyes the color of blood. Harry shuddered as he caught a glimpse, pushing away dark memories as he took a step behind Sirius, wishing for all his might that he had bothered to find out who had his wand.

"Why are you here?" Demanded Molly Weasley loudly. She blustered to the front, so as to keep an eye on her boys.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" snarled Twin A, "we are here for Yugi. If anyone asks me that again I swear to Ra I am going to fucking stab them in the eye!" Twin B placed a hand on the other's back. From Harry's vantage point he could see a little of the tension dissolve. Twin A shook his wild hair, glancing at the wizards without fear. "Now. If Yugi isn't in this room in five minutes I am going to start breaking shit."

"You seem to have already started," Dumbledore pointed out thoughtfully.

Twin A's eyes latched on to the old man, mentally measuring him up. "By 'shit' I meant 'bones.' Now I am not in the mood for games, old man. Do not make me repeat myself." The last comment was whispered. It scared Harry far more than the snarling had.

Dumbledore shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't just do that." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Really, I don't see how you can expect me to. You have broken in to a house that in impenetrable, destroyed quite a bit of priceless objects belonging to my associate and you have provided me with no information as to why I should comply with you, even if I did know who this 'Yugi' was."

Twin A stared wide-eyed at the wizard that even Voldemort, the Dark Lord himself, was known to fear. Then he laughed. He laughed hard and loudly, clutching himself as he curled over. The sound, full of genuine mirth, echoed through the destroyed room. When the last echoes of the sound vanished Twin A wiped tears from his eyes. He grinned at the wizard. "Impenetrable? This place? I could have made it in here when I was a child. While wearing a blindfold. If this is your idea of strength then you really should surrender now, before you make me angry. I do believe I told you I didn't have time for you bullshit. You are down to two minutes. I suggest that you waste no more of your time."

Dumbledore stroked his beard like a cat. Harry was really hoping the old man had a plan.

"Um, sir?" Twin B spoke up softly, his voice as Harry expected it to be. "He is telling the truth. Yugi's hurt and needs our help. If we wait any longer he could die. Please. We need to help him."

Dumbledore continued to stroke his beard. Members of the Order shifted uncomfortably, waiting for some signal to attack. Harry had a faint idea that Dumbledore was just waiting for Twin A to lose his temper before sicking the Order on the pair. It worried Harry. Judging from what he had seen the boy could very well be telling the truth.

"You have thirty seconds."

Dumbledore kept stroking his beard. Harry looked worriedly at Ron and Hermione, who far too close to the fight for their own good.

"Twenty-five seconds."

This was ridiculous. Harry opened his mouth.

"Kura?" A sleepy voice floated like music from the top of the stairs. "Is that you?" Soft footsteps padded down the wood.

In the blink of an eye Ron and Hermione were tossed across the room by invisible hands, landing on top of Fred and George. The albino twins took their place at the foot of the stairs, scooping the small boy Harry and Dudley had found in the alleyway into their arms.

"Stupefy!" Dumbledore flicked his want, throwing a stunning spell towards the boys.

"Protego!" It bounced on the shielding charm, hitting the roof and causing even more dust to fall. Twin B held up his hand in a warding gesture, his body trembling visibly. Twin A ignored his growing plight, instead placing a finger on the small boy's forehead.

The moment he did so the entire room went dark. Dark and silent. Harry could feel the shadows pressing down on him, leaching his body heat and his energy. He struggled to stay standing, gasping with every breathe as ice fingers tore at his body. Harry reached for his wand. His numb fingers could feel nothing, not even his own body as the darkness pressed down harder. His knees buckled.

((What are you doing in here?!))

"Harry!"

"Sssiriussss?" It came out in a slur.

He was staring straight in godfather's face. He could feel his godfather's hands digging painfully into his upper arms. It was then Harry realized that he was on his knees surrounded by concerned faces. Sirius's hands were the only things keeping him vertical. Harry tried to shift but he couldn't move his legs. His entire body felt absolutely exhausted.

Twin A's voice floated down the stairs. "Oh for fuck's sake this is ridiculous."

Harry couldn't help but agree.

-x—x---x—x-

AN-okay, I promise, explanations next chapter. UNtil then enjoy Kitty.

／l、

（ﾟ､ ｡ ７

l、 ~ヽ

じしf,)ノ


	5. Spell it Out

All right. In case you haven't figured it out:

(blargus) is hikari to yami (for those not of the Yugi fandom hikari=light, Yami=darkness)

((blargus)) is yami to hikari

Easy way to remember because I'm only warning you once. The doubles use double brackets. (Yes. I am clever like that.)

Fire Dolphin: I said he didn't know where it was then later he reached for it. It's like when you always keep your cell phone in the left pocket of your coat then forget it one day. You still reach into your left pocket even though it's not there. Instinct and all that.

-x—x---x—x-

Ryou balanced Yugi on his lap, the small teenager having fallen asleep in his arms the moment they sat down. In fact, that was all Yugi had done so far. He had fallen asleep on his feet after Bakura had touched him. He had stayed that way as the yami had argued with the wizards below, browbeating them into taking he and Ryou 'prisoner' until they could get some sleep and explain the situation in the morning. Not that they were by any means trapped. Bakura had probed the wards that had been cast around the room they had been ushered into. He was the Thief King. He could leave any time he needed.

But since he hadn't needed to he had been content to climb into bed, wedging the already sleeping Yugi between him and his lighter half, watching as both clung to each other as the night darkened. Yugi had whimpered a few times and, once, murmured a name. Bakura had always prided himself on his lack of heart. He knew that _if_ he had had one it would have been required to break on behalf of his small friend. But since he didn't it was a non-issue, and the liquid that had escaped his eyes was merely irritation from dust.

It was an old house.

Bakura hadn't slept that night. He considered himself well rewarded for his sacrifice. He had heard the door crack open as one of the wizards checked to make sure they hadn't destroyed the room and vanished. He had also heard the worried whispers, one name surfacing again and again.

_Harry._ Apparently that was the name of the boy who had fainted earlier. And everyone was up in arms over it. They were making as much fuss over it as people had made over the fucking Pharaoh back in his day. With just as much coddling, too.

Which was why the boy had been sat as far as physically possible from he, Ryou, and Yugi while still being in the same room. Bakura had rolled his eyes as the kid had been plunked down between two tired wizards both of whom leaned forward, as though their very presence could fend of harm. Foolish mortals. The only positive was that the boy seemed just as annoyed by the seating arrangement as the tomb raider. Bakura took it as a favorable sign. After all, it was only this Harry character's opinion that mattered. If Bakura could make him see light without having to stab anyone it would be a good thing. Blood would ruin his leather pants.

Still, the people who had managed to worm their way into this discussion amused him. Besides the men playing honor guard to the Harry character and assortment of teenagers and adults had taken upon themselves to listen. There was a woman whose hair style out-crazied Yugi's. The fact that hers changed color, and apparently at her will, did give her a slight advantage. The man who had managed to stun himself last night, this grizzled and scarred old maniac had also been deemed important enough to stay. His one eye kept spinning round into the back of his head then back again, as though it was trying to catch Bakura doing something wrong. Bakura was beginning to despise magical eyes.

Finally the woman who had managed to elbow her way to the head of the pack last night and her brood had made sure to be one to sit in on this. Now that he had the time Bakura had noticed that she was not only a part of a set but belonged to one that matched. Her husband was a skinny man whose hair could almost be seen falling out. Beside him was another red head, this one with long hair and a few modern accessories, proclaiming that he had both youth and independence. He was sitting quietly, watching Bakura with a slight frown that the yami was beginning to find unnerving. No, not unnerving. Fucking annoying.

His annoyance was brushed aside as the woman announced that breakfast would be served _after_ the meeting and that everyone not involved was to leave the room. "Fred, George, Ron, Ginny and Hermione, go wait in your rooms."

The fallout was immediate.

Four of the five named immediately began shouting and screaming in protest.

"We're of age!" hollered the twins.

"If Harry's staying I'm staying." Bakura snorted, cementing his opinion of what was now dubbed the Stupid One.

"But Mum, I _want_ to hear!" the girl's voice made Bakura wince as she whined. At least the other girl had the good sense to keep her mouth shut.

"The twins are of age, Molly. You can't keep them from this." The balding man sounded exhausted by having to point out the errors of his wife's way.

"Fine!" she snapped impressively. Despite himself Bakura was beginning to like this woman. "Ron, Hermione and Ginny, you need to-"

The dumb one, Ron, cut his mother off. "Harry'll tell me and Hermione anyway!" He paused to think on what he said before timidly turning to Harry. "Won't you, Harry?"

As the pause grew the girl stepped in. "I think what Ron is trying to say is that it is important for us to be included in these proceedings because of how they will affect Harry throughout the school year. Seeing as how we are his friends it will be necessary for the people he confides in to be aware of the situation so that we can help keep Harry safe during the school year."

Clever. Very clever. Bakura nodded in approval as the woman backed down. After all, how could she refuse when the girl pointed out that she would be doing a favor?

"Fine," Molly's voice sounded as stressed as her husbands. "Ginny, you need to-"

"But Mum!"

"Ginny-Go now!" The fire returned to the woman's voice and her daughter was sent screeching out of the room as those who had been clever enough to find a way to stay were seated. With that silence descended upon the room, as though everyone was waiting for something.

Finally the old man from the night before swept into the room, probably for some dramatic effect that was lost on Bakura. This man was definitely the one who the others saw as "in charge." The old codger was probably going to try and play the age card to get his way. It made Bakura smirk. The man was millennia too soon to win over Bakura. Still, it would be amusing to watch.

The man took a seat at the head of the table, beside Harry and his stooges. "Why are you here?"

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "No time for pleasantries? Pity. Here I was hoping we could all be friends." He kept his eyes pinned to the old man's, his crimson meeting a sky blue. Ryou, on the other hand, was covertly looking around the table, relaying the different reactions of those seated. A few had had the grace to look amused.

The old man was not one of them.

Bakura let out a dramatic sigh. It looked like today was going to be fun. "We are here to find Yugi. I do believe I mentioned that several times last night."

(Bakura, I am taking over.)

((But I' _enjoying_ this!))

(I know. That's the problem. Here. Take him)

Bakura grumbled mentally and aloud as Ryou gently shifted Yugi on to his lap. Ryou looked around the table, making sure that everyone was paying attention and understood the shift before beginning.

"I will answer all of your questions in due time," his soft voice floated through the room, "but first I must ask that you allow me to tell you a story. It is a long story and much of it is lost, but I will tell you what I can. Is that acceptable?" He watched as heads nodded slowly.

((You aren't really going to tell them. Are you?))

(Don't be daft. I'll tell them what they need to know in a way that they can understand. Nothing more than that. I am not naïve enough to go spilling all of our secrets to a group of strangers.)

Ryou bit his lip, then took a deep breathing, using the pretense of nervousness to solidify what he was going to say. He leaned forward, watching as those around the table also did so, then began.

"A long time ago-"

"How long ago?" The gruff man was the first to interrupt. Bakura's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

Ryou merely held up his hand. "I do not know exactly how long ago. The event was not recorded on a calendar." He ran his fingers through his soft hair. "I must also ask that all questions be left until the end of the story, else I fear I will never finish it." Everyone at the table, though some reluctantly, nodded.

"A long time ago there were two men. One was very powerful, much loved by his people for his kindness, his wisdom and his guidance. A king among his subjects. The other was infamous, known for his ill manners-"

((There is nothing wrong with my manners!))

(The no interruptions goes for you too.)

"And his immoral ways, a thief in the night. Both of these men were known to each other, though they had never met. They were in constant rivalry, both trying to catch the other, to lure him to his doom. So went this never-ending game of cat and mouse until a new enemy made his appearance. The new foe was sinister and cruel. His treachery cost both the king and the thief much. So it was that the thief and the king, despite their mutual dislike-"

((Is that what they call it nowadays?))

"Of each other united against their common foe. It took much effort, many brutal battles were fought and many lives were lost, but eventually the evil man was defeated. However, not before he wreaked a great curse upon the lines of the king and the thief.

"This curse is of a dark and forbidden magic, one whose name has been forgotten by time-"

((You mean shadow magic, right?))

"And the use of which has been lost. The curse that was used was considered so vile that no record was ever made of it so that it could never be used again." Ryou paused, swallowing hard.

((You are so full of shit, my little hikari. I am very proud of you.))

(Can you not shut up? This is difficult enough as it is. The last thing I need is to break laughter and ruin this!)

((Oh? I make you laugh?))

"What was the effect of this curse?" Ryou blinked as the old man asked the question, his voice heavy with sympathy. It took a few moments to realize that he had completely spaced out while conversing with Bakura. He heard his yami's chuckle in his head, though Bakura's outer face was cold and emotionless, as though he was hiding some great grief.

((I can play along too.))

Ryou swallowed again, dropping his voice a little lower. He had never been so thankful for the skills he had acquired being the game master for his table top roll playing games as he was right now. He was going to have to tell Jonouchi that it did have a practical use after all.

"The curse was forbidden for two reasons. The first of which is that it is unpredictable. That is, unlike most magic, it does not immediately activate. The curse can lie dormant for years, decades even. Or in this case, millenniums. Even the caster has no impact on when the curse activates. It just does."

Ryou shuddered and his voice dropped even lower. "The second reason the curse is forbidden is because…" his voice trailed off into silence.

"Because?" prodded the old man gently.

Ryou looked up at the man with soulful dark eyes that were tinged with the horror of all he had seen.

"Because it splits souls."

The room gasped collectively.

((Hook, line and sinker.))

-x—x---x—x-

Harry watched as the adults in the room panicked, aware that his magical education had in some way failed him. Though that may have been a good thing. If he had known what was so horrible then perhaps he would have been gasping and fretting like everyone else. Since he didn't he felt it was fair to ask the first question. "What has that got to do with me?"

Twin A seemed to shoot him a look of approval but it was Twin B who spoke up.

"Technically, it shouldn't have anything to do with you. The effects the spell were quite specific." The room fell back into silence as the boy continued to explain. "It only split the souls of a descendant of the king and a descendant of the thief, but each half of the soul was born. One soul, such as Bakura here, was born dark."

"You mean he's evil." Mad Eye pointed out moodily. He had taken an even more instant disliking to the pair for having evaded his stun spell from last night.

Ryou frowned. "No. I meant what I said. He is dark."

"I don't see what the difference is," Tonks put in.

"He certainly _acts_ evil," Ron grumbled under his breath, rubbing a bruise he had gotten last night.

"Bakura is _not_ evil," Twin B responded hotly, crossing his arms. "He's just… dark." He sighed. "I'll explain if I can, but you need to be open minded about this." He tugged on a wisp of hair, biting his lip thoughtfully. "Darkness is not evil. It just … is. It is a state of being. Like night and day. Night is dark and can be scary. Bad things can happen at night. But bad things also happen during the day. Being dark does not make Bakura evil. Just as being dark does not make him evil," Twin B pointed a finger at Lupin whose eyes widened. "At least," Twin B blushed faintly, "I presume he wouldn't be here if he were evil."

"I can assure you that Remus Lupin here is not evil." Twin B nodded at Dumbledore's words. "Though I can understand why you would classify him as dark. But how did you know?"

Twin B blushed furiously. "Ryou," Bakura cut in smoothly, "has a sensitivity to these things. It is because he was born as light. And no, that does not make him 'pure good' or any such foolishness as that."

Ryou nodded. "When I was born I didn't know about being only half a soul. I couldn't exactly tell. I had nothing to compare it to. You can't miss what you never had, as the saying goes. It wasn't until I met Bakura that I realized that _had_ been missing anything."

"What do you mean "met"? Were you two separated at birth or something?" Fred and George gave horrified shudders at Ron's questions, both of them leaning into to other.

Bakura and Ryou shot each other stricken looks. "HA!" snorted Bakura. "Related to him? Heaven's no! I would sooner eat my own liver with a rusty spoon than be related to him." He lapsed it a fit of laughter. He was very much reminding Harry of a Hyena.

Ryou looked equally horrified by the idea. "Bakura and I are _not_ twins. We are _not_ cousins and we are _not _blood related by any means. I was born in September, while Bakura here was born on Halloween. We also obtained a DNA test that shows that we do not match or share a parent. We believe the reason for our similar appearance is that we share a soul."

"I take it that your friend Yugi is in a similar situation," Sirius pointed out. Harry was surprised by how they both stiffened as though they had been electrocuted. He was eve more surprised by how Bakura's arms wrapped themselves around the small boy. Harry felt a small twinge of anger at the action. He pushed it away. Being hungry was making him grumpy.

Ryou finally nodded. "Yugi… was in the same situation as us." He pulled at his hair again, a little more viciously than before. "What you need to understand is that the light and the dark need each other. Once they find each other they bond. Permanently. Think of the light half of the soul as a seed. When it finds the dark half it plants itself. After time it germinates, growing and spreading its roots out until the two are firmly interconnected." Ryou stopped, turning to look at his double with the expression of a lost puppy. Bakura placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Pulling the plant out of the soil will kill it." Even the dark half of the soul sounded disturbed, his mask breaking into a look of disgust and horror. "Separating the two halves after they have bonded will kill one, always the lighter half. In order for a half of the soul to remain it must take something, magic, energy, who knows what, and make itself more complete. The light will never do this because it is light. They have no sense of self-preservation at all. Thus, were this to happen, it is only the dark that can survive."

Harry closed his eyes, seeing the boy in alley, remembering the way he trembled under his fingers. He took a breath then looked to Bakura, ruby eyes meeting emerald. "This is what happened to Yugi."

"Yes," Bakura answered and Harry knew that he was speaking only to him.

"It's why we needed to find him. We were going to pull him into our bond. Or try, at least. We had no idea if it would work but it was better than…"

"It was better than the alternative."

Harry felt his godfather's hand find his once again under the table before the ex-convict asked the question of the hour. "What has this got to do with Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes. He knew. He didn't need to hear because he knew. Still Bakura's voice cut through the silence.

"Because _somehow_ he bonded with Yugi instead."

-x—x---x—x-

AN-I didn't want to leave it there. I swear I didn't. But I just found out I am going to be sans internet for who knows how long so I wanted to leave you guys with something before I left. It was either this or nothing.

And believe it or not I am planning on giving Yugi a part. A big part. I just need to finish setting everything up! Ack!

And I know it needs to be proof read a bit better. As I said, just found out. Sorry! I'll try and have more up when I get back but my updates are probably going to slow down for a while. I need to get over my writers block for my YGOSG crossover because it needs love to. Ah! So much to do.

And yes, the title is a pun and that was on purpose. As I said, I'm clever like that (and I can hear you groaning :} )

As always, I live for reviews. Plus it would be lovely to get back and have some good news. I am gonna need it.

DX --me being dead.


	6. Two: Better Than One

"Undo it." It wasn't a suggestion. Gone was the gentle grandfatherly air. The old man's voice was laced with power and wisdom, his very presence at the head of the table seemed to be gaining more reality with every passing second until the air was choked with his existence. His will weighed down heavily upon the room.

Ryou lightly tossed his hair while Bakura ran his fingers through Yugi's. They answered as one.

"No."

The air in the room thickened. "What do you mean by "no"?"

Bakura sniffed haughtily, unperturbed by the old man's posturing. "I didn't think it was a difficult concept but since you seem be having issues I will clarify. Hell no. No fucking way. No fucking way in Hell. Does that answer you question?"

Bakura tilted his head in satisfaction as the old man gaped though he was a little surprised by how shocked everyone else in the room looked. It seemed as though no one had ever turned the man down before. Bakura loved being the first to renegade against authority. It made him feel so deliciously….

(Rebellious?)

((I was thinking 'subversive.'))

(Sure you were.)

"What is to stop us from making you?" It was old, ugly and scarred who spoke up. He had drawn his magical stick, placing it in front of himself on the table. He began to run grizzled fingers over the wood softly, emphasizing the shape of the object.

((Puh-lease. He calls that a threat?))

(Bakura-)

((It's a fucking stick! What's he gonna do? Take out my eye?))

(Bakura-)

((Worse men than him have tried. Besides, unlike him, I have two.))

(_Bakura!_)

((What?))

(For God's sake Focus!)

((On what?)) He heard a whimper slip through the link. His hikari had no faith. It was time for Bakura to restore it: wave his hands, do a miracle and listen to the applause all day.

Still, he handed Yugi to Ryou to be on the safe side. Even the best-laid plans of five thousand year old spirits could sometimes go awry. Hence why knives had been invented.

"Are you threatening me?" Bakura placed his hands on the table, linking the fingers and making his tone as pleasant as he could manage, sounding eerily to close to Ryou. He leaned forward and scratched the side of his head comically. "You see, it sounded like you were threatening me, but I distinctly remember not being afraid. Which means that either you weren't threatening me, or that you are just incredibly bad at it. Now, I consider myself to be a… reasonable human being. Therefore I will give you the benefit of the doubt and presume that you did not intend to imply anything threatening. And since you were not threatening my hikari or I, then I will not be forced to eviscerate you using your stick in order to demonstrate to your peers here how foolish it is to underestimate an opponent that you know nothing about. Especially since said opponent not only managed to destroy part of your house but managed to do so in one that you considered to be 'impenetrable.'"

(Did you just use finger quotes.)

((No. And if you tell anyone otherwise I will strangle you in your sleep.))

"But," Bakura practically purred, "Since I consider myself to be a reasonable human being I will give you an opportunity to rephrase in a manner that will be far more productive to the conversation." He leaned back in his chair under the pretense of feeling relaxed. He was anything but. His nerves were screaming at him, his eyes registering every movement around the table, ready to duck anything that might come his way. He was immensely satisfied to note that that spinning eyeball had stilled. Unfortunately it was focusing on him. If that man didn't stop the thing he was going to end up like Pegasus.

The old man held up a hand, cutting off scar face's retort. "I think," he began carefully, "What Alastor was trying to say is that if you are unwilling to undo this then you will leave us no choice but to search for our own way of cutting this bond." Bakura raised one white eyebrow. The old man sighed. "Harry's _special_-"

Ryou cut in. "He's the Boy-Who-Lived."

((He's what?))

(I'll explain later. Just nod and look like you know what I'm talking about.) Bakura nodded meaningfully.

"Then you understand why we can't leave things the way they are. We will be willing to provide you with anything you need to minimize the danger for both parties. Our resources are quite extensive, perhaps as great as those of the Ministry."

Ryou shook his head again. "I think Bakura gave you the wrong impression. There is nothing that either he or I can do that will destroy the new bond." Bakura's amusement sailed into his mind. "However, even if there were a way that we could break the bond, we wouldn't."

"You must understand that-"

"No," Bakura looked at his hikari in shock. The boy sounded _angry_. Ryou didn't do angry. "You must understand. To break the bond will kill Yugi. It may or may not kill Harry but it will kill Yugi. That is something that we will not allow. If both Harry and Yugi wish for the bond to be dissolved we will consider," Ryou raised a finger sharply, "_consider_ helping them to find a way to break the bond. But I will not let you murder Yugi because this situation offends your delicate sensibilities."

The brunet who had kept touching Harry spoke up. "The risks involved-"

"You have _no right_ to talk about the risks!" Bakura snarled as the words escaped his lips. "You have no idea what the risks are. Nor have you considered possible advantages from this."

"Advantages?" The brunet snarled right back. "My godson is now supporting the life of a child and you want me to consider the advantages? What good could possibly come of this?"

"My magic." Harry pulled his head out of his hands. He looked tired but he hadn't been crying or any such thing. That meant that maybe he could be made to see reason. "It's what strengthened my magic."

Bakura nodded in approval. Harry was proving not to be a total idiot, unlike the company he kept. Still, Ryou explained for the sake of the latter. "This relationship is symbiotic, not parasitic, as you all seem to believe. Harry is not "supporting" or sustaining Yugi. They are working together. It's a partnership."

The old man shook his head. "It still must be undone."

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry rubbed at his forehead as he spoke, "I think the chance to undo this has come and gone. I entered into a magical contract. I knew that there would be consequences. Being able to vaporize Dementors is far better than what I had expected."

"Now Harry, you are too young to be held by contract. There will be a way to undo it."

"I'm sorry sir," Bakura caught the hint of underlying bitterness in that innocent tone only because he had heard Ryou use it so many times before, "But I was under the impression that magical contracts don't care about age. Unless you are implying that I wasn't bound to enter the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Now Harry," Dumbledore once again sounded like a grandfather, "that was a different situation entirely."

"You're right," mused Harry. "I didn't actually enter that contract. Someone else put my name in. At least this time it was of my own choice. Professor Dumbledore," Harry looked the old man straight in the eyes, trying to convey his seriousness, "I made this decision. I will stand by it."

"Harry," Dumbledore folded his hands on the table, "If anyone finds out about this that boy's life is forfeit. They will kill him. Just like they killed Cedric."

Harry paled as soon as the words left the old man's mouth. He slumped back into his hands. Even from hear Bakura could here him struggling to maintain his breath, his shoulders rising with every slow inhale. It appeared that Harry was a bit on the damaged side. Perfect. He would fit right in.

Ryou sighed. "And if you break the bond he will most certainly die. What you are suggesting is killing him to prevent someone else from _potentially_ killing him."

"And it's not like we are planning on dumping Yugi on you then ditching. Where Yugi goes, we go. Whoever messes with Yugi, messes with us. And this encounter should have at least taught you that we are full of surprises." Bakura smiled, making sure to show all of his white, pointy teeth. "I'm surprisingly hard to kill."

Dumbledore slumped back into his chair, his fingers dancing through his beard while his eyes wandered in thought. Finally, his hands stilled and he let out a soft sigh. He nodded. "Fine. I won't interfere with this bond for as long as I deem it safe for Harry." Bakura grunted. "You all can perform magic, correct?"

Ryou nodded. "If one half can perform magic the other half can too."

Dumbledore nodded. "Then I will also allow you to come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I can set Yugi up as a scholarship student but I'm afraid that you two will have to pay your own way if you wish to attend."

"How much?" Ryou asked quietly.

Dumbledore cited a figure in pounds. He ran a hand through his beard before adding, "Per person. And I will need it before the beginning of the term."

Bakura let out a low whistle. ((This is robbery,)) he looked up at the Headmaster, ((And he knows it. He's already trying to interfere! That mangy old coot! I ought to fill his beard with lice and his bed with ticks!))

"Is that acceptable?" Dumbledore's question sounded far too innocent.

"I am certain that Bakura and I can come up with allotted funds." Bakura sniffed. It was unlikely. Unless he found a way to either blackmail or browbeat Kaiba into lending it to them there was no way in this life or the next that he and Ryou could come up with that kind of money that quickly. There was no way they would be able to afford it.

"I can pay."

-x—x---x—x-

"Excuse me?" Dumbledore sounded polite but Harry could tell that the unexpected interference annoyed the Headmaster. He had a feeling that the professor wasn't overly fond of the albino not-twins and had been trying to stonewall them. The unforeseen financial aid did not conform to whatever scheme the old man had been laying down.

"Kura and Ryou are buying stuff, right? I can pay." The figure on Ryou's lap shifted, twisting to get a better look. Yugi rubbed sleepily at his eye while his gaze swept over the room. He wrinkled his nose then looked up at Ryou. "Are you buying a house?"

Ryou laughed. "No, Yugi, we are not buying a house."

Yugi nodded. "Good. There aren't any windows." He rubbed at his eyes again. Then he frowned. "If you aren't buying a house then what am I paying for?"

Bakura ruffled the boy's hair. Harry felt another pang. He bit his tongue to keep from saying something stupid. "Well runt, you just agreed to pay for a year of torture of the foulest caliber."

The small boy leaned back into Ryou's shoulder. "Why are you switching schools?" Harry gripped the edge of the table. Yugi sounded so… lost. He felt bad for the boy. He just wanted to give the kid a hug.

So did Ryou, who wrapped his arms tightly around Yugi. "_We_," he placed heavy emphasis on the word, making sure Yugi understood which 'we' he was talking about, "are going to a magic school in the fall."

Bakura laughed at how wide Yugi's eyes grew. "You've missed a lot. We've been talking about it while you slept. We were just discussing how Ryou and I were going to pay for it when you decided to grace us with your presence."

"Oh." Yugi began to chase a wrinkle in his shirt with his finger. "I already said I could pay for it, Kura."

"It will be very expensive," Dumbledore spoke up. "I doubt you will be able to afford to pay for both your friends." Dumbledore cited the tuition again.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "I said I can pay. That means I will pay. For all three of us. Three of us, right?" He twisted again so he could see Ryou's face. The albino nodded gravely. "Good." Yugi wiggled, positioning himself deeper into Ryou's grip. He leaned his head back and shut his eyes.

"You will also have to pass an aptitude test so you can be placed in the year that is on par with your education." Dumbledore explained insistently, "And you will have to be sorted into your House upon arrival. Be warned that the sorting will only happen once and all decisions made at that time are final."

"Kura? Please just agree. I need a bath. And I'm hungry."

Bakura chuckled. "You heard him. We accept your terms. We look forward to school in the fall."

"Now that that's all settled," Mrs. Weasley stood, clapping her hands together, "it's time to get breakfast on the go. Fred, George and Ron; you help me in the kitchen. Hermione, will you be a dear and go get Ginny? Tonks," the woman practically vibrated at her name. Harry guessed she didn't often get called to help out. "You take care of the guests. Show Yugi where he can get cleaned up and find him a change of clothes. The rest of you keep out of the way."

With that the kitchen became a flurry of activity and chaos. Ron grumbled loudly about slavery and child labour while the twins set about making even the simplest of jobs complicated. Tonks went about extracting a very reluctant Yugi his place in the arms of Ryou. Harry was fairly certain that the term 'candy' had been dropped during negotiations. Moody grumbled on about important duty and Order Business before making a hasty retreat. Harry was certain it was more because of Bakura's threats than pressing business. Not that he blamed Moody. Anyone who dropped threats with the ease of Bakura was bad for anybody's mental health. Harry couldn't imagine what it was doing to an already paranoid Mad Eye.

Both Lupin and Sirius remained glued to Harry's side, while Arthur sat by his eldest son, looking lost in thought Bill continued to stare at the not-twins, a slight frown twisting his features. Bakura began to stare back, his crimson gaze focusing on the red head.

The awkward silence was broken by a muffled clatter. The doors to the kitchen opened and Yugi swirled in followed by a limping Tonks. Yugi let out a little giggle as Tonks stumbled in to the side of the table, upsetting a chair. Lupin made a gagging noise.

Bakura moved with the speed of a coiled snake, scooping up Yugi and returning to his seat. As he dropped the boy into his lap Bakura let out a sneeze. He frowned and tentatively sniffed the air. "Yugi. Why do you reek?"

Yugi giggled again but it was Tonks who answered the question. Her hair slid from a violent blue to a pale beige. "That was my fault. I tipped a bottle of soap on him." She rubbed at her leg thoughtfully. "The smell is rather strong." Lupin made another strangled choking noise. Harry took a light breath and promptly wished he hadn't. Bakura was right. Yugi _reeked._

"Tonks!" Mrs. Weasley screeched, "That was my good soap! And my last bottle, too." She thumped breakfast onto the table, conjuring dishes in front of everyone. Then she marched over to Yugi. "You poor boy. Here, let me help. Scourgify!" Yugi gasped as the magic washed over him, ruffling his hair and banishing the pungent stench. "Much better. Now, time to eat!"

The meal started with the heavy silence that seemed to be the theme of the old mansion. Bakura and Ryou seemed content to navigate their food consumption all while keeping Yugi balanced between them. Yugi, on the other hand, seemed to grow more and more agitated with every passing second. Finally he dropped his spoon and met every curious gaze around the table with one of his own.

"Excuse me but who are you people?"

-x—x---x—x-

AN-Even more talking. Le sigh. Thanks to everyone who favorited and subscribed. A special thanks to those who reviewed. To those who didn't…. please do. If you liked it I would like to know why. If you didn't I would like to know why.

If I get ten reviews for this chapter I will throw in a dancing monkey in somewhere in the story. Seriously. I will.


	7. Harry Potter Version 1,5

-x—x---x—x-

After introductions had finally been made the tension that seemed to haunt the room vanished under the light of Yugi's smile. The boy launched a barrage of questions, asking everything from everyone's name and how they knew each other to their favorite game. Sirius and Lupin soon found themselves reliving their glory days as the Marauders while Tonks ended up giving a full report on the pros and cons of being a Metamorphmagus, including an incident in her second year of Hogwarts where she had spent a week as Nathanial Tonks because she couldn't figure out how to shift back. After that she had kept to making only minor changes about her appearance.

"Okay Yugi," Lupin cut off another question with a smile, "I think that we are as curious about you as you are about us. It's only fair that we get to ask a few questions."

Yugi sighed and leaned forward on his hands. Behind him both Ryou and Bakura stiffened. "I guess it's only fair," the small boy agreed reluctantly.

"Where are you from?" the question practically exploded out of Hermione.

"Domino, Japan." Bakura and Ryou relaxed a little.

Ron frowned. "What are you doing in England?"

"I'm here for work."

Ron's frown deepened. "Work?"

Yugi nodded. "Work," he confirmed. "England was hosting a Duel Monster's Tournament. I had to come because of my title. And since I was here I wanted to see where Ryou grew up and we had some time so we were going to spend a few days at his house before heading back."

"Duel Monsters?" Arthur Weasley sat up straighter, his interest in all things muggle working at full capacity.

"It's a card game." Yugi wiggled a bit. "I'm a professional gamer." Yugi blushed brightly, as though he had just confessed to being a star in adult video. He rushed out an explanation. "It's actually an accident. There was this kid at school who was fighting with Grandpa so I challenged him to make him go away but everyone found out I beat him so then I got invited to this tournament and when I won that the kid from school set up another tournament but he put all the duels up on television so now whenever anyone holds a tournament they expect me to come and Kaiba won't let me retire until he's finally beaten me and reclaimed his title. Then I started getting challenges from people who play other games because the title Kaiba gave away wasn't really his to give away and now all the chess players want to prove that the people who play Duel Monsters are idiots who rely on luck instead of strategy so I've been getting invites to those tournaments too. And now rumor has it that the Go players are starting to get angry so it's only a matter of time before they start inviting me too and I've already had to play in an amateur pool tournament." The boy thumped his head onto the table. "Stupid Kaiba."

Harry blinked, waiting for his brain to finish translating Yugi's hurried speech. He frowned when he noticed that the boy had failed to explain what was probably a crucial detail. "Yugi, what title is it that you hold?"

The boy moaned, keeping his head on the table. Ryou stroked the boy's hair while Bakura smirked. "Yugi here is the King of Games." He ran a finger through the boy's hair. "Isn't that right, Yugi?" Bakura looked down. "Yugi?" A light snore was his only response. "Bloody hell."

"Is he always like that?" Fred waved a spoon at boy.

"Hush," hushed his mother. "The boy's been through quite the trauma if I understood anything that Bakura dear," who choked at the title, "has explained to us. I'll take the poor dear up to the room he used last night."

"Bakura will help," Ryou volunteered his darker half.

((What the hell do you think you are doing?))

(You didn't sleep last night. Now that you have a body you need to sleep.) His tone was reproachful, (Go,) he ordered as Bakura started to protest. (I will wake you at the first sign of trouble.) Out loud he added, "Yugi panics a bit when he wakes up in a place different than when he fell asleep." Especially when he woke up alone. It was just another parting present that had been left by the bloody Pharaoh.

Bakura grumbled through the link but stood, gently lifting Yugi so as not to wake him.

Dumbledore adjusted his spectacles. "Speaking of panicking, your parents are all probably very worried about you. If you give me their names I can contact them to explain the situation as well as make the necessary arrangements for school."

Ryou blushed. "Thank you for the offer but that will not be necessary."

"Yugi has been here for two days and I have a feeling that you boys haven't been home in just as long," Lupin pointed out. "Surely your parents will have begun to worry by now."

Ryou turned to Bakura, his dark eyes once again worried. The crimson-eyed bow sighed gustily. "By 'not necessary' Ryou meant it's 'not possible' and, more importantly, 'not an issue.' Our legal guardian is currently in the field and will not be expecting to hear from us for another week at the very earliest."

"You're alone?" Mrs. Weasley went pale at the implication of the boys' statement. "You poor boys are traveling across the world all _alone_?!"

"We aren't alone," snapped Bakura. He lifted his chin in a style that reminded Harry of Draco. "We have each other."

Mrs. Weasley caught herself on the table, her hands going white with the pressure of her grip. "How old are you boys?"

Ryou shuffled nervously from side to side, twisting more of his silvery hair along a finger. "Yugi's fifteen," he volunteered, throwing his slumbering friend to the fray to serve as a distraction.

The distraction failed miserably. "And how old are the two of you?"

Ryou started to pull on the hair wound around his finger. Harry could see his lips moving slowly, as though in prayer. Mrs. Weasley stood, hands on her hips waiting for an answer. The rest of the room held silence with her. Even Fred and George had stopped moving and had taken up staring expectantly at the pair. Ryou seemed to notice this and began to tug at his hair even harder.

Bakura snatched Ryou's hand, pulling the other boy up from the table. He then used his own free hand to rub smooth the locks that had been messed by the one boys mounting stress. Finally, satisfied with his grooming job the boy turned his crimson eyes upon Mrs. Weasley. "_We,_" he managed to double the word's syllable count, "are almost fifteen."

Harry shot the albino a look he hoped could be interpreted as 'brace yourself.' Bakura frowned when he caught Harry's expression, completely clueless about what was about to happen and unaware that he would be getting a jumper for Christmas.

Molly Weasley stood, hands on her hips. Her face grew to match the color of her hair. "_Almost_ fifteen?!" she sputtered. "_Almost?!_" She whirled on Dumbledore. "They are staying here for the remainder of the summer! Traipsing around the world at almost fifteen! Arthur and Bill can get their things when they pick up Harry's. My word! _Almost _fifteen! I ought to write your parents, letting you be off all alone like this!"

Ryou was starting to make white look like a dark color. He squeaked and ducked behind Bakura who shifted Yugi into an easier position to hold. "You will do no such thing." His tone was calmer than Harry had ever heard it and by the noises Ryou was making he had a feeling that this was an uncommon occurrence. "Yugi's grandfather has been kind enough to adopt us and he is wise enough to know that we can take care of ourselves. That man deals with enough stress without you adding to it because you are offended by a situation that you know absolutely nothing about. The last thing we need is for you to give him a heart attack. _We_ will discuss our new schooling arrangements with Ji-san* and _we_ will let him know of our current predicament and _we _will not tolerate any outside interference on this matter. Now, if you'll excuse us _we_ are tired and are going to bed. Don't," he snapped as Mrs. Weasley moved closer to the door and the trio, "bother showing us where the room is. _We_ can find it by ourselves." He whirled out of the room, dragging Ryou along behind him.

"_We_," the twins attempted to imitate Bakura's tone, "have decided that _we_ like him."

Harry let out a little chuckle. So much for a quiet year at Hogwarts.

-x—x---x—x-

Harry was staring at the ceiling. It wasn't a particularly interesting ceiling. It wasn't magicked to look like the sky and it hadn't been bewitched to show a living scene. Even by muggle standards the ceiling was boring. It wasn't stucco so you couldn't find faces in it, nor was it painted in a discernable pattern. It was just a plain wooden ceiling that had too much filth on it for it to be healthy.

Nor was the floor particularly comfortable, yet still Harry found himself laying on it instead of the bed. Had anyone bothered to ask about why Harry was lying on the not particularly comfortable floor staring at the not particularly interesting ceiling they would have received a particularly interesting response. Harry was lying on the floor because no one would be able to see him there and at the moment the thing he needed most was time to himself. And since he seemed to be fainting regularly these days he had to hide from the good intentions of others to get it.

After Bakura's final speech the awkward tension had returned to the dining room. Everyone could tell that Mrs. Weasley was plotting to do Motherly Things to the boys, though with Bakura's attitude that would probably have disastrous consequences. On the upside it meant that her focus was off of Harry, which would give him more time to speak with Sirius.

Or so he had hoped.

He had tried to catch a private word with his godfather after breakfast. Dumbledore, Lupin and Mr. Weasley had become embroiled in a discussion about the technical details that needed to be attended to for the new students to be enrolled in the fall. Sirius has silently slipped out of the room, obviously bored by a discussion to which he was unable to contribute to. Harry had tried to follow. Tried being the operative word.

As soon as he was out of the door he had been mobbed by Ron and Hermione and was dragged up to his room so they could have some privacy. The moment the door clicked the room had become heavy with silence as the three friends stared at each other awkwardly.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione was the first to move, throwing her arms around her friend. She began to babble and sob. "I was so scared when I heard about the Dementor attack! And then they brought you in and you were unconscious we were afraid that the worst had happened. I'm glad you're all right. But I can't believe the Ministry- Having a trial! It's ridiculous. You were almost killed! Dumbledore was furious! I've never seen him so angry. And Sirius nearly went after you himself." She left out a small sound.

Harry grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her off of him. "I'm all right, Hermione. See?" He gave a little spin. "Completely fine."

"Except that you've only got half a soul now," Ron pointed out fretfully.

Two cracks sounded. Harry jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder. "Well, not half a soul, if I understood anything." The twin ruffled Harry's hair.

"Yeah, more like a soul and half." The other twin flopped onto the bed.

"Exactly. He got an upgrade."

"Harry Potter. The-Boy-Who-Lived Version 1.5."

"You're almost twice the man You-Know-Who is now, Harry."

"Poor bloke won't stand a chance when he finds you this year."

"Thanks for the sentiments. I will take solace in that the next time I have to face the sociopath." Harry shrugged off the offending hand, sliding in by Hermione with the hopes that her scowl would keep him safe from any pranks the twins might have planned in lieu of a welcome. "So I take it you managed to get your Apparating License."

George rolled onto his stomach, "That's right mate."

"With distinction."

"We are now officially and legally allowed to perform magic."

"Poor world," Harry commented dryly.

"Now don't be like that, Harry," Fred walked up, wrapping an arm around the teen.

"Bugger off!" Ron piped up angrily. "We're trying to have private chat with Harry. We haven't spoken to him all summer."

"And whose fault is that?" Harry snapped, pushing himself away from everyone in the room. "It's been a month-a month!- and I got bugger all for news. I have spent the last four weeks of my life trapped in a place I hate with people who despise me all while waiting for Voldemort-oh stop that! -to show up on my doorstep and blast me to oblivion. And you've all been here!"

"Dumbledore made us promise not to tell," Hermione answered in a small voice.

"Yeah mate. He said it was for your own protection."

"My protection?" Harry sputtered at Ron's words. "My bloody protection?! Fat lot of good that did me. I was attacked by bloody Dementors in the middle of Little Whinging! If that is what qualifies as "protection" I'll be dead by Christmas."

Hermione gasped. "Don't even joke! Besides, at Hogwarts you'll have Dumbledore and Snape-"

"Snape? He's involved in all this too?" Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I'll be dead by Halloween."

"You'll have us too," Ron put in, taking a step forward.

Harry snorted.

"Harry," Hermione begged. She clasped both of his hands gently. "Harry, I am truly sorry. We shouldn't have kept the Order a secret from you, no matter what Dumbledore said." She looked earnestly into his eyes. "I will not make such a foolish mistake again. I'm sorry."

Harry stared at her for a second before sighing, the anger rushing out of him in a breath. "One condition. You tell me everything I missed." Hermione laughed, giving him another hug. The she and Ron launched into the summary they should have given Harry weeks ago, additional commentary provided by the twins.

Apparently Harry had missed a lot.

Percival Weasley had received a promotion. A promotion that had landed him in Fudge's own office. Percy was pleased as punch over his newfound success, especially after the disaster with the late Mr. Crouch. His father, on the other hand, had not been as ecstatic as his son had expected him to be. The subsequent fight over political loyalties had ended with Percy storming off to London and his name becoming as taboo as Voldemort's within the Weasley household. His new nickname had become "that git of a brother."

Harry also learned that _Daily Prophet_ was hosting yet another smear campaign in his honor. Though this one had not yet reached the front covers of the paper it had remained a constant and insidious voice against the Boy-Who-Lived. The paper had even taken a few cracks at Dumbledore for insisting that He Who Must Not Be Named was back in action. The Ministry of Magic had shoved its fingers in its ears and the _Daily Prophet _was the voice screaming, "NOT LISTENING!"

Harry also found himself being warned about the house itself. Apparently it belonged to Sirius who had inherited it from his parents. It was enchanted so it couldn't be found by those who didn't already know where it was. Well, expect for Bakura, apparently, but he so far seemed to be the only exception. The house also came with a crazy portrait that had the tendency to screech when disturbed and house-elf that could only be described as mad.

As for the Order it turned out that Harry had almost as much information as everyone else, though he did learn about the subtle and not exactly successful ventures to promote awareness of the wizarding world's growing plight. Since a good portion of the Order worked for the Ministry they couldn't exactly go out and street call the news. This had resulted in an attack on Dumbledore's reputation that was apparently beginning to take a toll on the validity of the man's word.

The conversation had left Harry feeling stressed and exhausted. He had fatigue and Hermione had taken pity on him, leading him to an empty room so he could get some rest. The moment she had left he had snuck into another. The good news was that he had managed to wrangle himself some privacy and time to think. The bad news was that he had managed to wrangle himself some privacy and time to think.

Harry sighed silently. He couldn't even focus on what was troubling him. The moment he focused on worry another slid into its place. Despite Dumbledore's reassurance and Hermione's knowledge of the law Harry was still frustrated by the upcoming trial. If the Ministry was trying to crucify him that would be last occasion they had to do so before he made it back to Hogwarts. If he lost his wand he was as good as dead. But of course that was presuming he would survive the summer. He also needed to feed Hedwig. And get a change of clothes. And pick up his stuff for school. And he needed to talk to Yugi. And to write Dudley. And talk to Sirius. And talk to Yugi.

Harry rolled to his stomach and pushed himself to his feet. He _really_ needed to talk to Yugi. He was surprised at himself for leaving it this long. He hadn't even had the chance to ask if the boy was okay. That was terribly rude of him.

Harry continued to berate himself right until he found himself standing in front of door. He blinked. He didn't remember walking here. He frowned at the door and gave the handle a slight touch. It twisted open under his fingers. The door opened silently, revealing two sleeping figures on the bed.

Harry only saw one. Yugi looked so innocent as he slept. He had sounded the same way when was awake. Not for the first time Harry wished had been allowed to sit closer so he could have seen the boy better. Then again, he had opportunity to do so now.

Harry crept into the room. He would just take a look. Just a single peek to see what the boy actually looked like and then he would go. No one would be any wiser and his curiosity would be sated.

Harry took a few more steps into the room.

He froze as something sharp and cold pressed itself against his neck.

"Oh. It's only you." The knife retreated. Harry turned to watch Bakura flop down into a chair. The boy scowled in his direction. "Fucking took you long enough."

"Excuse me?" Harry knew he sounded slightly panicked. He was actually very proud of himself considering he had almost had a heart attack right then and there.

"I said I've been waiting for you. We need to talk."

Harry took a step back. "Talk?" he asked breathlessly.

"Stop it, Kura. You're scaring him." Yugi sat up and yawned. He rubbed viciously at his eyes.

Bakura snorted. "I thought you were sleeping."

Ryou sat up beside Yugi and let out a yawn. Bakura scowled at his lighter half. "I was not being psychotic. And I wasn't being loud." Ryou sighed. "Okay. Fine. I wasn't being _that_ loud," Bakura amended. Harry felt like he was listening to someone on the phone. He was sure he was missing part of the conversation.

Yugi caught his panic looked and smiled. "Don't worry, Harry. We'll fill you in."

"Fill me in?" echoed Harry.

Bakura nodded sharply. "Right now there is only one thing you need to know."

"You know the story we told you in the kitchen?" Ryou combed his fingers through his hair, his arms muffling his voice. Still, Harry nodded.

Bakura grinned. "It was all a lie."

-x—x---x—x-

*Ji-san- Grandpa.

AN-Okay, next chapter you'll find out what happened to Yami. In the meantime you guys are still a few reviews short of a dancing monkey. So if you haven't you should go and review chapter 6. And this chapter. Your reviews give me superpowers. Like the ability to update. I need the love. You need a dancing monkey. I say it is a fair trade.


	8. Yami Potter

-x—x---x—x-

"All of it?" Harry asked Bakura weakly.

The albino shrugged. "Well, maybe not all of it. The 'a long long time ago' bit was true." He slid to his feet and began to pace. "There also really was a thief."

"Bakura." Harry spoke the name softly. The albino continued his thought train, paying no heed to Harry, who tried again. "Bakura!"

"Hmm?" answered the boy distractedly, giving a slight turn.

Harry's fist connected with his jaw so smoothly that one might suppose they belonged together.

As Bakura lay stunned on the floor Harry stepped over the boy, placing his foot on the center of his chest, effectively pinning him to the floor. "I am _not_ in a very good mood. I awoke from an attempt on my life to discover that the entire world is keeping secrets that involve me from me. I have a mass murderer who is looking to mount my head on a plaque and the government seems content to ridicule me and arrest me for perfectly legal actions. Now you're telling me that breakfast was late because you were talking a load of codswallop?" Harry shook his head ruefully. "Now you will tell me what the Bloody Hell is going on here or I _will_ do something that the Ministry would be with in their right to arrest me for provided they could find the pieces!" He glared down. And waited.

Underneath his foot Bakura began to twitch. Then to shake. Then he erupted into laughter, wiping at his eyes as the sound poured forth. He twisted so he faced Ryou and Yugi. "I approve. Yugi can keep him," then he gave Harry's foot a swift hit, causing the young wizard to stagger to the side. The albino stood, wiping filth from his outfit all while grinning at Harry. "Don't worry boy. You'll get your answers." Bakura strode back to his chair, draping himself across it. He began to clean under his nails with a knife he pulled from nowhere.

"You might want to take a seat." Ryou swung his legs over the side of the bed before pulling Yugi onto his lap. "This is going to be a long story."

Harry nodded tersely. He practically threw himself into the nearest chair. When he had settled himself he gave another stiff nod.

Yugi began the story. He explained about the Millennium Puzzle, about how it had taken him years to solve it, about how when he finally did Bad Things started to happen to the people who used to bully him. Yugi recounted the incident with Shadi, explaining how the spirit had revealed Yugi's other half to the boy.

It was here that Yugi grew quiet so Ryou took over. He explained about having the Millennium Ring and being partially possessed by an evil spirit. Then he told about Pegasus and how the man had stolen Yugi's grandfather's soul to get the Puzzle. Even after the man had been defeated trouble began to follow Yugi like his shadow, getting worse _after_ someone tried to burn him to death in a warehouse.

Bakura took over, telling about Battle City and the Rare Hunters. He was careful not to name names but he still gave thorough explanation of Malik and his possession, as well as the Pharaoh's solution.

So on it went, Ryou and Bakura explaining what they could, Yugi speaking up only to fill in the gaps. Even then it was reluctantly, giving vague summaries with a few important points. It didn't take a magical eye to see that Yugi's adventures had affected the gentle spirit.

Everyone grew silent as they came to duel over Atem's fate. Harry waited patiently, knowing how hard it was to talk about something when something awful had happened. Bakura opened his mouth to explain but Yugi cut him off.

"I can do it, Kura," he spoke in a voice that matched his size. "I can't hide from this forever."

"You need more time," Bakura pointed out gruffly but Yugi was already shaking his head.

"How much more time? Another day? A week? A year? Or maybe I should wait five millennium." He shook his head again. "No Bakura. I will do this now so I can move on with my life." He drew in a shaky breath and turned to Harry.

Harry gasped as he caught sight of amethyst eyes, pools of lavender in Yugi's face. His breath hitched at the pain he saw there. It took all of his force of will to not stand up and scoop the boy into his arms. Instead he listened to the tiny voice, trying to hear what was left unsaid.

"I won the duel," Yugi started bluntly. "Atem crossed through the door to go to the afterlife. But the Gods noticed a problem. Because we are half a soul, losing him would kill me. If Atem died, I would die. And since they felt they owed me for all the shit they had put us through they figured killing me was not an acceptable outcome. So they gave Atem a new body."

"What about Ryou and the Ring spirit?"

Bakura sniffed. "Yugi pleaded his case. Apparently not even the Gods themselves are immune to Yugi's puppy dog eyes. He begged and pleaded and pointed out that the Ring Spirit wasn't actually evil, just possessed, and now that Zorc was gone he would be a much nicer person. So the Gods did their thing and gave him a body. Unfortunately, unlike Atem, whose old body was kicking around, they had to use Ryou as a map for the new body."

"Hence why you two look the same."

Bakura grimaced. "Hence why we look the same. But we aren't related!" Bakura stressed the point. "We made Kaiba get us a DNA test. Genetically we are completely different."

"So do you and Atem look the same then?" Harry winced as he saw Yugi flinch but he didn't regret his question. It was something he would need to know.

"No," Yugi shook his head gently. "For one thing Atem is a head taller than me. And since he got his old body back he's a bit older. He's also Egyptian. And he has red eyes, like Bakura. Our hair is the same, though. Jonouchi swears we have the same nose but personally, I don't see it," Yugi gave a little shrug. He leaned back Ryou and closed his eyes.

He started to speak again. "Everything was fine. At first, anyway. The Tomb Keepers forged documents to make Bakura and Ya-Atem's existence legal. On paper they're brothers and the only survivors of a village massacre that happened years ago. They even found people who will extol how wonderful Atem and Bakura's parents were. Since they were listed as orphans Ji-san was able to adopt them. He also hunted down Ryou's father and made him give Ji-san custody, though Ryou and Bakura stayed in their apartment. Atem began living at the game shop. It was fun." Yugi sighed. "We would go out for ice cream then play the arcade. I got to show Atem all these wonderful things of the modern world. He even began going to school with me. He'd moan about it but secretly he loved it. All the girls in the school adored him. They thought he was so cool. He was so cool…" Yugi trailed off. For a moment Harry was worried he had fallen asleep again.

When Yugi spoke next his voice was dead, completely void of emotion. "Atem started to date Anzu. It wasn't really surprising. We all knew she liked him. I was happy for them. I really was. And I understood that Atem would have less time for me." Pain started to seep into Yugi's voice. "I was fine with that. But then the bullying started up again. I tried to ask Yami for help but he said it wasn't his problem. And he was right. It wasn't his p-p-problem. So I figured I would h-h-handle it, just like I had b-b-before. I would fine. This time I had friends.

"But it kept getting worse. And I never saw Yami anymore. He was always b-busy. He said he needed to make up for lost time, so he could win his t-title back from me." Yugi fell silent again, trying to mask a sniffle. "I was attacked one night. I was so scared. I really thought I was going to die. So I called for Yami on the link. I called and he told me he was busy. He told me that Jonouchi and Honda had been right. That I needed to learn how to be a real man." Tears began to flow down Yugi's face as he stared into a painful past.

"He was in the hospital for three days," Ryou spoke softly, clutching Yugi a little tighter.

"And the fucking _Pharaoh_," Bakura managed to make the title more vile than the swear, "Didn't even come see him. Not once. The son of a dog-fucking whore couldn't be _bothered_ to see if his light was still alive."

"We had to do something. We had to make Atem see what he was doing. Yes, he was alive, but he was still Yugi's yami. They still _needed_ each other. They were still halves." Ryou ran his fingers through Yugi's hair. "We thought that they just needed some time alone." His voice was laden with regret.

"Both Yami and I entered the tournament in England. I wanted to prove to Yami that I was still strong enough to stand beside him. And I did it. I won. I beat him fair and square. And he was so angry." Yugi shuddered. "He said I cheated. He said that I was leeching off of his glory." Yugi's voice began to rise in panic.

"Yugi, you don't need to do this," Bakura moved, taking a place on the bed and grabbing Yugi's hands.

Yugi didn't see him, didn't hear him. "He said that I was weak and that it was my own fault people attacked me. He said he was glad that he had his own body because now he didn't have to waste time fighting my battles for me. That all I had ever done was hold him." Yugi's voice emerged a haunted and broken whisper. He looked straight at Harry, his haunted eyes seeing a different room with a different person. "He said he didn't need me and I could die for all he cared." Tears continued to poor silently down Yugi's face.

"He broke the bond," Harry whispered.

Bakura snarled. "That effeminate eunuch, may Ammit take his soul, betrayed his light. He left Yugi to die! After everything, after all Yugi has done the bastard left him to _die_! If not for Yugi the _Pharaoh_ would still be trapped in his bloody Puzzle! The fucking world would have ended! Several times, I might add."

Harry leaned forward, trying to absorb everything he had been told. As much as he hated to pry when everyone was clearly upset, he still needed answers. "What will happen to Atem now?"

Ryou sighed like the wind. "Nothing. He will go back to Japan and whatever it is he does. Above and beyond that I don't really care what he does, as long as he does it somewhere else." There was no mistaking the venom in the boy's voice.

"So what does that make me? As a whole soul I mean. It sounds like you need light and dark to make this work."

"Well for starters you are now a Yami," Bakura offered a wink. "Welcome to the dark side. Not that your soul is particularly dark. It's just that I have never met a soul lighter than Yugi. He is even brighter than Ryou here."

"We think that your magic is what is holding the bond, like an anchor. The magic is supplementing the dark aspect of this relationship. Your magic is acting like a channel the way the Millennium Puzzle did for Yugi and Atem." Ryou flicked his bangs out of his eyes.

Harry's head was spinning. "Speaking of the Puzzle, what happened to it?"

Bakura opened his mouth then frowned. He looked at Ryou who shrugged in response. Yugi seemed to wilt. "It broke."

Bakura swore viscously. "Can you fix it?" Ryou questioned softly.

Yugi shook his head. "Not that type of broke. It," he raised his hands, searching for the right word, "Dissolved, like the bond. It's gone. There is nothing left to put together." Yugi feel silent and stiffened, as though bracing himself. "The rest of the Items did to."

"What!" Bakura shot up from the bed with a shout.

Yugi rubbed his knuckles together, watching his hands closely. "They disappeared. Up in smoke. My backpack too. It caught on fire." He shrunk against Ryou. "It burnt your counter."

"Great. Bloody great. Not only did that idiot manage to put you in a fix but he also managed to destroy the gates to shadow magic. Was he born this stupid or did he practice?" Bakura walked over to the wall and began to rub the bridge of his nose. "Bloody brilliant."

A memory tugged at Harry. "If the shadow magic is gone, how did Yugi and I bond? And where did the voice come from?"

Bakura froze. "What voice?"

Harry winced. Great. Now they thought he was crazy too. Still he explained what happened in the alley, giving the real story instead of the watered down version he had fed the Order. By the time he had finished Bakura was grinning.

"Bloody brilliant!" He clapped his hands together in delight. "Yami is going to be pissed when he finds out! This is fucking amazing!" He frowned. "And informative. Huh. Who would have thought?"

"Thought what, Kura?" Yugi sounded as lost as Harry felt.

"Oh my!" Ryou's eyes went wide with realization. He turned to Yugi and Harry excitedly. "It was shadow magic that bound you together! That means that despite the Items being gone shadow magic is no longer sealed."

"More importantly," pointed out Bakura, "It means that the magic has left Atem. He is no longer the Fucking All Important Little Godling he thinks he is. The magic _left_ him. It went with Yugi. It chose a new Pharaoh, a new King of the Shadows." He grinned predatorily at Harry. "Congratulations. You've inherited a midget Pharaoh and magical powers. I hope you enjoy them, Your Highness."

Harry paled. "You're not serious?" Bakura's grin didn't waver. "Oh God!" Harry buried his face in his hands, "Why does this always happen to me?"

"Harry," Yugi spoke his name gently, "This is a big responsibility. I don't know much about you, but it seems you already have enough going on. If you want to dissolve the bond you can. Kura and Ryou can take care of me. It would be okay. I would be fine if you didn't want his." Didn't want me. Yugi didn't say it but Harry heard it nonetheless.

He looked up into shattered amethyst eyes. "Yugi. I chose this. This may be a big responsibility but it is one that I chose. I can honestly say that this is the first time I have been allowed the choice. Thank you for giving me the option but I am not going to be scared off by a little magic." Harry managed a weak smile. "After all, I am the hero of the wizarding community."

"I knew I liked him," Bakura said to no one in particular. "Now we can finally get this over with." Ryou nodded in agreement. "Harry, stay where you are. We need to finalize your and Yugi's bond."

"How do you do that? Do you need blood or something?"

"Don't be so dramatic. I swear, wizards are idiots," Bakura grumbled. "Ryou is going to set Yugi on your lap so you don't drop him or anything. Just hold him. It will seal the bond."

"We weren't going to do this unless you accepted Yugi of your own free will," offered Ryou. "Being bonded to someone who resented him would kill Yugi. We weren't going to risk him like that." Ryou tenderly deposited Yugi into Harry's arms.

Harry felt a buzz of energy flash through his body. He looked up at Bakura and Ryou who were watching him expectantly.

(Well that was anticlimactic.)

"I'll say. Did it even work?" Harry grumbled.

Bakura grinned. "Oh I think it did."

Harry stared for a few seconds before reality sunk in. He looked down at Yugi who was watching him with glowing violet eyes. "You didn't say that out loud, did you?" Yugi slowly shook his head. "Oh," Harry said weakly. "Well…. This will be interesting." Yugi just giggled and leaned into Harry's chest. In a few seconds the boy was asleep. Harry sent Bakura a panicked look.

The ancient spirit just chuckled. "Don't worry. He should stop doing that in a few days. It's just because of the split. It would have taken a lot out of Yugi and when he bonded with you the shadows were drawing on his energies as well. I'm actually surprised he managed to wake up at all. I would have thought he would be out for at least a week." Bakura pushed himself off the wall. "In the meantime here's what you need to know. You and Yugi are now telepathically connected. That means he can hear your thoughts and you can hear his, but _only_ when you chose to share them. You will be able to block your thoughts from Yugi and vice versa but it will take time for you to learn how."

"You will also be able to sense each other's emotions. If one is hurt the other will know immediately," Ryou expanded. "You will also share knowledge and certain abilities. Yugi was, by your standards, a muggle. Because of your bond he now shares your magic just as you now have shadow powers. Same with Bakura. He will have magic because I have magic. Not all skills transfer subconsciously though. I am the only one who knows how to use wand magic."

Harry absently stroked Yugi's hair. It was surprising soft. He had thought that there would have been truckloads of gel to make it stand the way it did. "You might have a problem there. Dumbledore mentioned something about an aptitude test after you left this morning."

"Not a problem," Bakura waved his hand dismissively. "We can actively share memories, like a download into a computer. It's tiring but has proven to be useful on many occasions. Ryou will do it with me and you will do it with Yugi. That way we will end up in the same year despite that old coot's meddling."

"But that won't be for a while," Ryou pointed out quickly. "You will need to learn control first. Yugi will be able to explain more when he wakes. For now all I can say is be careful with him. Remember that he knows how to shield his mind from yours. He may look and act fine but this hurt him deeply. He will need a lot of human touch and he will need reassurance. You cannot presume that if you are doing something Yugi will ask to join. Half his soul just rejected him. He is in a fragile state. It will take time for him to heal."

Bakura cocked his head. "You should go. People are beginning to look for you. I doubt your cheer squad would be happy to know you've been all alone with the crazy strangers."

"Here, I'll take Yugi. You need to keep this a secret. You can't tell anyone the truth." Dark brown eyes met emerald green. "But you understand that."

Harry nodded. He felt a pang of regret as Ryou took Yugi from his arms. But things would be worse if he was caught here. As Harry walked to the door a thought occurred. He looked back. Now would be the only time he could ask this without upsetting Yugi. "What will happen if Atem comes back looking for Yugi?"

Bakura's gaze was an ocean of blood.

"Then I will kill him."

-x—x---x—x-

AN-There we go! The great mystery revealed.

Now before the Yami lovers hunt me down let me explain. I was inspired to write this story from one of the Yami gets his own body, acts like an ass, bond breaks, him and Yugi must spend rest of story working through it together. I read a really good one that delved deeply into What Went Wrong, but it didn't give itself enough time for Yugi and Yami to fix it. It was just "Yugi went away for a few years, Yami sulked, they met up and decided to give it another try." The ending was a bit artificial. And it got me thinking. If Yami did break the bond through his own carelessness, what would happen? Could they really fix it? Can you revive what you've killed?

Then the fact that I had been moping about doing a HPYGO crossover and this story was born.

I know I'm taking a huge risk with lack of Yami. I like Yami. I love Yami. He is one of my favorite characters (my 2nd, in fact). But I like this idea more. It just… fits. And

*spoiler alert* it will have Malik. *spoiler alert end*

I know that I may lose readers because of the No Yami factor (he will be appearing a few times though, and he still is important to plot) but it is a necessary evil for this story to work. And I wanted it to be different. So it is.

Thank you everyone for your reviews. I hope you will forgive me for where I am taking this, but if you don't I think I'll live. Be warned, my updates are going to slow down a bit. Reality requires some house keeping.

Please review!


	9. Frenemies

The current residents of Number 12 Grimmauld Place were stressed. Seeing as how it was the headquarters to a secret organization that had not one but two forces would to destroy it if they ever found the building, this was understandable. However, that was a stress the household had long since learned to deal with. There was a new form of stress. And its name was Bakura.

On Dumbledore's orders Harry Potter was to be kept as separate from half souls as possible. This was in the hopes that the bond between he and Yugi would not reach maturity before the Order had found a way to dissolve it. Dumbledore himself had handpicked a research team to search for mention of the dark spell both in England and Japan, trusting others with the task of guarding Harry and, if possible, finding out more about the curse from the source itself.

But even as the house guarded Harry from the half souls, the half souls were guarded from the house by Bakura. Lupin had caught Ryou alone and had started a conversation about the nature of the boy's magical training up to this point.

Ryou had answered reluctantly, blushing furiously without having his other half to hide behind. He had explained the magical world to Bakura and Yugi the night Harry had finalized his bond with the small teen.

It was his magical heritage that had in fact drove him to Japan. It was one of the few countries that's magical community had kept abreast of the growing sophistication of muggles. Not only were the wizards aware of muggle technology but had begun employing it themselves, offering theory-based cyber courses to wizards and witches who chose to not attend a magical school. Night classes were offered to give the students an opportunity to meet each other as well as put what they had been taught into practice.

Not that Ryou had ever gone. His father was a muggle who had only tolerated the idea of magic. When the opportunity had come he had fled from the world, dragging his son with him. Ryou had never had a wand, or a cauldron, or anything of practical magical value save for the Millennium Ring. He had claimed the status of squib and had been allowed to learn the theories and the incantations, thus providing him with a magical education that his father would be unable to trace.

After meeting Yugi he had stopped with his studies. The constant possession of Bakura and his "Time to Take Over the World" schemes had rendered the time commitment somewhat futile. Ryou had also realized the danger of giving Bakura another weapon to use against Yugi so he had destroyed or hidden all traces of wand magic in his apartment. When Bakura had stumbled across a memory pertaining to it the spirit had merely assumed that it was connected to Ryou's gaming. After Bakura had been freed from Zorc Ryou had been caught up in the whirlwind of learning how to deal with a yami that actually liked him. It had taken months for the two to build up a trust, but after that they had become close and Ryou had been so swept up in the experience that he had, in all honestly, completely forgotten about wizards and witches.

Bakura had been amused, exasperated and slightly proud of his hikari, though outwardly he had grumbled about the things he could have done to Atem with the knowledge Ryou had. There was a time that Ryou would have hushed Bakura for making such threats about the Pharaoh. That time had come and gone.

Of course, Ryou's response to Mr. Lupin was much more guarded than the explanation he gave Bakura. Ryou preferred not to lie when he could help it, but the boy had long since mastered the art of equivocation and omission. And just because he didn't like to lie did not mean he was not skilled at it.

Eventually Mr. Lupin began to ask about Ryou's home life. The boy managed to sidestep every question that would reveal he had been living alone.

"How did you and Bakura first meet?"

The question sounded innocent but warning flags were beginning to rise in Ryou's head. You don't spend years being bullied and saving the world without picking up at least a few survival instincts. Even as he answered he began looking for excuse to escape. "We met at a gaming tournament."

"You're a gamer? Like Yugi?"

"Mmm," Ryou shook his head. "I was merely a spectator at the time." Maybe Mr. Lupin was just genuinely curious.

"Is that how Yugi met… what did you say his name was?" Or not.

Ryou could feel the panic rising in his chest even as he berated himself for getting caught in this situation. The urge to just run was overwhelming but Mr. Lupin was blocking the route to the stairs and could easily follow Ryou into any of his other options, leaving the boy with no room to escape. There seemed to be no way out.

"He didn't," a harsh voice emerged from behind Mr. Lupin. The owner shoved past the ex-professor and grabbed onto his hikari's wrist. ((I've got you.))

Mr. Lupin paused. Ryou could tell that he was thinking _very_ quickly about the new developments. "Oh. I'm sorry. I thought that had I perhaps missed it. I think everyone is a little overwhelmed by developments. May I inquire to what it is now?"

"No." Bakura tossed his wild hair with his free hand. "It doesn't matter anymore. He is dead."

Mr. Lupin took a step back. "Excuse me?"

"You are going to try to find him right? Ask about breaking the bond?" Bakura let out a bark of laughter. "It's a futile effort on your part. He. Is. Dead. Now if you'll excuse me, it's Ryou's turn to shower." Without waiting for a response Bakura pushed past Mr. Lupin for the second time, dragging Ryou off to the bathroom.

((You are so fucking hopeless,)) Bakura grumbled through the bond.

Ryou's inner voice was small. (Thank you, Bakura.)

Bakura sighed. ((Listen; if they try that again just tell them what I told them. After all it is true. Atem is dead. He just doesn't know it yet.))

(What about Yugi?)

((….Do you really think they're daft enough to ask him?))

Ryou thought carefully before nodding. (They seem a bit desperate.)

((Fuck.)) Bakura slammed the bathroom door behind them, twisting the lock viciously for privacy. ((Fuckity fuck fuck.)) "Fuck!" His hands twitched for his knife. He slipped down to the floor, resting his back against the door.

Ryou crouched over him, drawing his yami into a hug. He began to stroke his hair lightly. "Don't fret, Kura. We'll think of something."

"Fuck." Deep inside Ryou couldn't help but agree.

-x—x---x—x-

After that things became increasingly awkward. Yugi, asleep or awake, was always with either Ryou or Bakura, when he wasn't with both.

Bakura proved to be an impossible barrier to get across. Any attempt to speak with Yugi while he was with the angry teen was like trying to sneak past a bear to pet her cub. No one had been stabbed, yet, but it was only a matter of time. Lupin, Tonks, and the Weasley parents had all made the effort and all had failed miserably. Tonks had actually sworn that she would rather deal with the portrait of Sirius's mum than try that again.

Not that they had had any more luck talking to the small teen when he was with Ryou. If they were found without their self proclaimed protector they were usually playing some sort of game. They could talk to the boy but getting him to answer was an uphill battle. Ryou would constantly interrupt, asking Yugi to explain a rule or a strategy and the boy would be lost to the activity in front of him, forgetting what any conversation not game related had been about. Sirius had had to hide a smirk when Molly Weasley had loudly wished that the albino would realize what he was doing and stop that.

The Order had given itself a pat on the back for successfully keeping Harry away from the strangers. Every time the boy had been spotted entering a room that held part of the trio he had been recruited into helping clean yet another room of the defunct house. Usually Ron or Hermione, thought sometimes both, were also made to help clean with the hopes that throwing the teens together would repair some of the tension that seemed to been caused by the Dumbledorian Secret policy. And it was working. Harry and Hermione seemed to actually be fine and the rift between he and Ron was mending slowly. The Order was proud that it was salvaging the boy's friendships while preventing him from forging ones with potentially hostile forces.

Sirius knew better.

Harry was James's son. It was naïve to think that their strategy, which was rather pathetic, could not only prevent an unknown magic from doing what it did but could also keep a teenager's curiosity unsatisfied. The fact the boy wasn't chafing against the constant scrutiny he was under was a _bad_ sign. The fact that Bakura had not issued an ultimatum on meeting with Harry was worse.

Yet no one in the Order seemed to notice. Just as they didn't see the amused look Harry flashed the trio at dinner when Ryou successfully diverted Yugi's attention once again. Nor did they notice that Bakura would drag Yugi to the bathroom and Harry would also claim to have need. Sirius had only spotted that trick by virtue of where he was standing, both parties having to pass him to make it to their final destination. He was impressed. It was quite clever. Even more impressive was the fact that he wasn't able to catch them at it again.

Instead of bringing this to the attention of the Order Sirius had decided to handle it his own way. After all, _technically_ he was Harry's guardian therefore he was the only person who had the right to decide what was best for the boy. And he decided to pursue the path less trodden. Sirius decided to _talk_ to Harry about what was going on.

Despite the Order's careful eye it was shockingly easy to get Harry alone and to do so without the Order noticing. Sirius merely ducked into one of the defunct rooms after lunch and waited for Harry to walk by. In one smooth motion he pulled the boy into the room.

"Bakura, what the hell do you..." Harry spun, his words dying on his lips as he looked at his godfather. He swallowed and started again. "Hullo Sirius.

"Harry," Sirius responded pleasantly. "We need to talk."

Harry nodded, his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth. (Harry? What's wrong?) Yugi's worried voice whispered in his mind, warmth and comfort sailing down the link.

((Sirius. Can't talk.))

(Oh.)

((Yup.))

(Want me to listen?)

((Yes!)) Harry rubbed his hands against his pants. "About what?" Harry tried for innocent.

Sirius just laughed, mussing Harry's hair. "Your father couldn't pull of that expression and neither can you. Don't worry" he winked at Harry, "I won't tattle on you. We have to stick together."

Harry nodded, still feeling nervous. He could also feel Yugi lurking in the back, watching through his eyes. It was unsettling, to say the least. Like wearing a hat inside your head.

The twinkle in Sirius's eye vanished as his expression became serious. He reached over and placed both hands on Harry's shoulders, stooping so their eyes were level. "You've been meeting with them." It wasn't a question so Harry did not feel compelled to answer. "Have they explained what's really going on?"

Harry's eyes widened in shock. Still the young wizard managed a slight nod.

"And are you okay with that?" Another nod. "Do you trust them?"

"With my life." The words were out before Harry had even thought of them. Sirius's stare didn't waver.

(Explain it to him, Harry.)

((I thought this was supposed to be a secret.))

(He'll keep it that way. He needs to know. And you want to tell him.) His body filled with warmth as Yugi mentally hugged him. (I don't want to come between you and anybody. Tell him.)

Harry sighed as he reached a decision. "Do you have anywhere to sit?"

-x—x---x—x-

Sirius listened to Harry's words without interruption. He could tell his ward wasn't telling him everything but that didn't truly matter. The boy knew. He had been involved with the strangers for less a work week and he knew more about this situation than the one he had been born into. They weren't keeping secrets and telling lies to keep him safe. They were trusting him with the truth.

That alone decided him, before Harry and even finished his explanation. Of course, hearing about the telepathic bond had been a bit of a shock. He could tell that Harry expected him to whisk him away to Dumbledore or St. Mungos at any moment. And to be certain he was uncomfortable with the idea. But Harry needed him, not his insecurities. So he just grinned. "That would have been useful to have with your father." Harry relaxed immediately at those words.

Sirius stood, sensation returning as blood flowed into his legs. He swung them out in exaggerate steps as though he was thinking. It was for show more than anything. He already knew what he was going to say.

"I won't tell anyone about this. You have my word. However, I would recommend telling Ron and Hermione. They have spent enough time with you that they will begin to notice if this causes changes in your behaviour. Well, Hermione will anyway. And I will help you in anyway you need."

"Any way?" Both Sirius and Harry jumped as Bakura slipped out of the shadows. He grinned. "The midget told me we were busted," was the only explanation he offered. Harry relaxed in his chair.

Sirius stared at the albino, reevaluating his opinion of the strange boy. Still his conclusion remained the same. "In any way I can."

Bakura turned to Harry. "Could you ask Yugi to give us some privacy? I have a personal request to make."

Sirius watched in fascination as Harry's eyes seemed to lose focus. He had seen the boy do it before his explanation. In a few seconds Harry spoke. "He said he would get some sleep."

"Good." Bakura turned to Sirius. "Get Harry's cheer squad to leave Yugi alone. I can protect Ryou from them but you need to get them to leave Yugi alone."

Sirius sighed. "I don't know if I'll be able to manage that. Dumbledore is certain that one of you three knows how to break the bond. He wants that information or he wants the name of someone who has it."

"Yugi's yami."

Sirius nodded. "Exactly. They didn't buy your "He's dead" explanation. And they are all loyal to Dumbledore. What Albus decides to happen happens." He couldn't hide his traces of bitterness.

"Let me make you understand something. Yugi just had his _soul_ torn in half. His very essence became split. There is no comparing what that feels like to anything. The agony of watching your family die pales in comparison. I know. I've experienced both." Bakura's voice was grey and heavy, like rain clouds. "Now Yugi," Bakura growled, looking for the words. He paused, his eyes shifting. Finally he nodded to himself before beginning. "Yugi offered to trade the gods his afterlife for mine." His voice was full of awe. "Yugi knew that the only thing that awaited my soul was damnation and destruction and he begged the gods to let him take my place. He wasn't yet in his fourteenth year and he was willing to trade his soul into certain annihilation to save that of someone who had tried to kill him on several occasions. And when Ra himself said that in order for such a trade to work Yugi would have to die he smiled." The crimson eyes seemed to magnetize themselves. "He _smiled_," Bakura hissed, "And said he was fine with that. Yugi doesn't show that he's hurt. He just _smiles_.

"Ryou and I didn't even realize that there was anything wrong between him and the Pharaoh until Yugi was hospitalized. Even then it took us weeks to get the story from him. Weeks! The only person who I have ever seen Yugi confide in left him to die. And now," Bakura's temper kicked in, "And Now. There a bunch of bloody wizards who want to poke and prod so they can they fucking reenact the event. And Yugi will smile until he shatters under the pressure.

"But I will not let that happen. Yugi _saved my soul._ The Gods themselves forgave me my sins because Yugi _asked_ them too. He risked _everything_ for me. And I _will_ keep him safe. And if you cannot get the bastards to leave him alone so he can heal from this I will. And I will not be nearly as nice about it as you."

Sirius knew he was pale. He also knew that these children had gone through just as much as he had in Azkaban, if not more. Bakura's fevered speech shook something inside of him. Luckily his voice was firm as he answered. "I'll see what I can do."

"Excellent." Bakura frowned. "We also need be allowed to go home. I think if the mother cat uses that cleaning spell on my shirt one more time it will dissolve."

Sirius grinned. "Now that I can do with ease."

-x—x---x—x-

AN-OMG guys. Thank you so much for the reviews. The dancing monkey will come but you have to wait for it. It will be probably between Harry's trial and getting on the Hogwarts express.

Also. . . I know I told someone that Kaiba would be making a cameo in this story. I lied.

Kaiba WILL BE making a MAJOR appearance. He should be showing up in two to three chapters. My conscience wouldn't allow me to have a story that was lacking both Yami AND Kaiba.

To the people asking generic questions, I will answer when I can but when you ask stuff like "What will happen" I can't answer you. If I were to tell you that they were to be sucked through a portal to candy mountain where they remove Charlie's kidney you wouldn't have any reason to read it. Yes, there will be more of everything, but it will take time. This story is proving to be complicated and requires a _lot_ of setup. I have to set the board before I move the pieces, as I told one of my reviewers.

Once again, thank you so much for all the reviews. Reality still hates me but I have a trash can lid as a shield for a few minutes so I'll try to at least (maybe) do an update a week. But no promises.

So now you know. Anyway, please review! I have uninshibited RAD and need the love.


	10. Baggage

-x—x---x—x-

Harry inhaled a deep breath, his fist wavering in front of the door. Small fingers found their way into his palm, giving a reassuring squeeze. Light and bubbles filtered into his mind, cleansing the flecks of despair. Amethyst eyes and a small smile flashed as Harry squeezed back.

His hand banged against the door, the hollow knock echoing down the street of Privet Drive.

Slowly the wood entrance swung inward, revealing a pudgy figure in designer clothes. From inside a voice floated, "Who is it Duddykins?"

Dudley Dursley didn't answer his mother. Instead he stood staring at his cousin and his entourage. It consisted of short boy with the craziest hair that Dudley had ever seen, blond bangs and a dark spikes that bled between black and violet. Behind him stood a pair of twins, both of whom where unnaturally pale with white hair and even lighter skin. Dudley's eyes narrowed as he spotted a familiar figure. At the very rear of the party stood the red headed man, the one with the awful sons. A quick glance revealed that he had not brought his devil children, instead bringing a large black dog as a companion.

Dudley's eyes snapped back to his cousin. He folded his arms crossly as he squinted at Harry. "You didn't write."

Harry blinked, unsure of where he and Dudley now stood. "I didn't have Hedwig. I forgot I left her here. Is she-"

"She's in my room."

"Oh."

"I've been feeding her."

"Thanks." Harry shuffled his feet. "Sorry I didn't write." Dudley nodded carefully, acknowledging the apology even he wasn't accepting it. Harry felt a pang of guilt. He cleared his throat. "Ah, Dudley? This is Yugi." Harry stepped to the side, making Yugi more visible while not daring to let go of his hand. "Yugi, this is my cousin Dudley. He helped save your life."

As Yugi's fingers slipped from his grasp Harry felt panic race through him like lightening. Almost as soon as the feeling entered his find he felt a soothing touch flit in to chase it away. He heard an echo of a giggle. (You can have my hand back soon. I promise.)

Yugi grabbed the side of his pants, using them to steady himself as he bowed low. "Thank you Dudley-sama. I am honored by your presence and grateful for the part you played in saving my life. I hope that you accept my offer of friendship." He held his hand out. When Dudley stared at the limb a worried frown clouded Yugi's face. "I'm sorry. Is the gesture incorrect? I thought that it was Westerners who shook hands." Slowly Yugi's arm began to drop.

Then it was rising again as it was consumed by the meaty palm of Dudley. Despite his big size and brutish ways Dudley shook the hand with a delicacy that surprised Harry, reminding him a bit of the way Hagrid had handled Norbert.

Except that Norbert had never managed a smiled quite that brilliant.

Dudley looked down in awe at the small boy. Part of his mind was screaming that his street credit would be ruined if anyone saw him making friends with so obvious a target. Part of his mind was screeching that this had to be some trick of Harry's, some ploy to get revenge on all the things Dudley had inflicted upon him. But those parts of his mind were drowned out at the ecstasy that that bright smile was causing to roll through his mind. As Dudley let the other boy's hand drop with a twinge of regret he realized that this warmth was something he hadn't felt in a truly long time. Dudley realized that knowing he had helped save this child, this strange boy, made him _happy _in ways that his possessions and his cronies could not. And as that epiphany flowed through him Harry saw Dudley do something that he would only later realize was foreign to his cousin. He saw Dudley smile. Not smirk, not grin, but truly smile.

The perfect moment was shattered by the crooning of a woman. "Diddykins, who's at the door?" Petunia Dursley's head appeared behind her son. She gasped and yanked hard on Dudley's shoulders, pulling him inside protectively. "You!" she screeched. "What are You doing here?! No. Never mind! Just go. _Get Out_!"

Harry sighed. At least Uncle Vernon was at work. "I'm just here for my things." Petunia sputtered, trying to drag a protesting Dudley further into the house. She looked torn. On one hand she could get rid of all the things in the boys room connected to _his lot,_ but on the other hand she would have to let him back into her house.

"Fine," she hissed. "Fine. Take your things and get out. Dudley and I will be in the living room."

"Mum, I want to talk to Harry."

Petunia looked at her soon as though he had announced he had a cross-dressing fetish and need her hosiery. Her eyes narrowed. "What did you do to my Diddykins?"

Harry was staring at Dudley with just as much shock. Seeing his chance in the silence Dudley just pushed on, "Please Mum? It will be the last time I see him for a year. _Please_?" He broke into the whine that had thus far provided him with every thing his little heart had ever wanted.

Petunia pressed her lips together and glared. She shook her head furiously. "No. Now come on Diddykins." Once again she began haul her nephew from the room. He shot Harry a mournful look.

"I'll write," Harry mouthed silently, still reeling over the new Dudley.

As Harry stepped in the house he began to feel worried. As a frown stretched across his features a small hand gave his a light squeeze. Harry glanced down into violet eyes and realized that the anxiety crowding his mind was not his own. He did his best to give Yugi a smile. "Don't worry. I'm used to this." Instead of looking reassured the corners of Yugi's mouth turned down briefly. Harry pulled the boy inside, unsure of what else to do. "Let's just be quick."

And they were. Bakura had only been allowed to come to the house on an oath extracted by Ryou that he wouldn't be rude. The spirit had soon discovered that when he wasn't belittling the habits of inferior beings he didn't actually have anything to say. Mr. Weasley, despite his love for all things of the non-magical community, was too edgy to launch into his usual barrage of questions. And as a dog Sirius just sat by the door, his eyes scanning the neighborhood for any suspicious activity while trying to steadfastly ignore Mr. Tibble.

In next to no time at all they had managed to extricate Harry's things, including one severely annoyed Hedwig, a trunk of magical doodads, and few object of a more mundane nature yet infinite value; clothes. It was easy to stuff them into the back of Ryou's van. The albinos had driven the thing to London despite the fact neither of them had a license. Unlike Harry and Ron's adventure with vehicular travel without training the albinos had a fairly good idea on how the vehicle worked. When Hermione had pointed out that driving it was still illegal Bakura had pointed out the law only applied to those who got caught.

Traveling by magic was out do to the inherent risks involved so a less extraordinary method had been chosen. Since there were no other vehicles big enough to go to Surrey with the necessary amount of passengers (Ryou, Bakura and Yugi's effects were not in anything near a centralized location and none of the boys were will to risk leaving anything behind by having a third party pack for them. Ryou had refused to give his address until the Order had agreed to let all of the trio go) as well as all of the luggage the van had been picked as the only viable option. Mr. Weasley had been picked to drive by the sheer virtue of the fact he specialized in Muggle technology while Sirius had pointed out that a dog would take up far less room than another person. Lupin had pointed out that if they didn't let Sirius go the man was liable to go barking mad from cabin fever. Though the pun had earned him a punch the sentiments had earned him a series of grateful smiles, Sirius having been promoted to "trustworthy adult" by the group.

"Turn here," intoned Ryou from his place in shotgun. Bakura was sitting in the middle of the second row, leaning dangerously forward so he could backseat drive. Sirius and Harry were both in the backseat with Yugi, the small boy staring out the window distractedly. The nearer they pulled to the house the more the teen seemed to collapse in on himself.

"That one," Ryou pointed to a nice house in an even nicer neighborhood. Aunt Petunia would have been willing to take up magic if it meant moving to this part of town. Every house had a garden that put hers to shame. The place Ryou had pointed out had a stone sculpture of an angel in the front lawn. By the base one could easily tell that the statue was supposed to be a fountain but it looked as though no water had passed through it in a long while.

In fact the entire place looked a little unloved. The yard had obviously received no attention in at least a few years. Parts of the house were beginning to fall into disrepair, the paint peeling and several of the shutters hanging only by the grace of a higher power. The only sign of habitation was that the steps had been swept recently.

As they vacated the van Harry picked up on the air reluctance. Bakura took the lead, Ryou following a little ways behind him. The way they held themselves screamed of potential danger, as though walking into the house would bring about some sort of disaster.

Yugi was even more cautious. Harry turned, looking to ask what was wrong but spotted the boy back at the van. Sirius was brushing up against the teen's legs but he didn't even seem to notice. He was looking up at the house with the blankest look Harry had ever seen on anyone's face.

He tried to reach out through the bond, wincing as thoughts weren't just blocked but were instead bounced off of the other boy's mind. He tried another approach. He reached out to the King of Games.

"Yugi?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He pulled back from Harry's grasp, slamming into the van.

Ryou spun at the shout, his eyes wide. ((Go!)) He didn't need Bakura's order to find his feet carrying him to their friend. In all their time together Ryou could not remember a single time Yugi had raised his voice against another.

The boy slid down against the van, pulling himself tighter into a ball. Harry crouched down stunned. He knew his mind was wide open and he could sense nothing, absolutely no emotion coming from Yugi.

Ryou crouched down beside them, his dark eyes disks of color. "Yugi," Ryou whispered the name gently.

Yugi merely whimpered, pressing harder against the van.

Ryou tried again. "Yugi, he's not here. Bakura's in the house now and no one else is there. He left. Okay?" Yugi didn't move, his face hidden by his knees. Ryou looked imploringly at Harry who shook his head. This was all very much beyond him.

Sirius whimpered and pressed his nose into Yugi's hair. He began to lick at the boy's ear. Slowly Yugi's head rose, dry eyes blinking at the faces circling him. "Did I fall asleep again?" He squinted, staring past Ryou. "Oh! We're here!" In a swift move Yugi was on his feet, grabbing Harry's hand and tugging him towards the house frantically. "Come on Harry! I can show you my deck! And I have my picture of Grandpa! You can help me pack!" In seconds the boys were swallowed by the dark doors of the homestead.

((Oi! Landlord! What the hell is with the brat? He and Scar Face just bolted past me like Mazaki was on their tale with a friendship speech.))

(I don't know. He was panicking and then he was fine. Harry wasn't sensing anything from him. Yugi claimed he didn't remember us driving up but I think he's lying. Any clues in the house?) Ryou walked up the steps, answering Mr. Black's whine with a shrug.

((Well, the midget was right about the counter. Giant burn marks. I also found the stuff he won from the tournament scattered in the kitchen. Checked the Pharaoh's room. Bastard made and washed the bloody bed before leaving. Shocked that he even knew fucking how. The rest of his room is in perfect condition. Yugi's room is the mess it always is so no worries there, and our room was still locked.))

Ryou entered his old home with feelings of trepidation, entering the boot room. He hated the place. It had too many ghosts and echoes wandering about. Still he paid close attention to surroundings. Bakura had been correct about the kitchen. The countertop would need to be replaced. In the dining room the table had been shifted slightly. Ryou could tell by the dents in the carpet by each leg. Half a dozen years of sitting in the same place left an impression.

As he wandered up the stair he noticed more little things. There were smudges on the walls that he had cleaned the night they had returned. A picture was also missing, the nail it had been hung on having been dragged, leaving a deep gouge in the plaster. He was relaying all the differences to his other half who was currently packing and trying to play nice with Mr. Weasley.

He could feel Bakura's stillness. ((Fuck.))

Mr. Black let out a small growl as Ryou stiffened. (You don't think that Atem did more than yell? Bakura?)

There was more silence on the other end. Finally words filled Ryou's mind, each syllable laced with a venom he hadn't felt since Zorc had been cleansed from his darker half's spirit. ((Atem is dead.))

(Kura? What's going on?)

In the other room Bakura ran a hand through his hair. Just because it was possible didn't mean that… but if it were him… that son of cur was dead. He huffed as he felt Ryou's worry push against his mind. Still he held silence, masking his rage and carefully choosing his words. ((Ryou…. Just stick close to Yugi, okay? And teach Scar Face what to look for. I think… Yugi is in a lot more pain than we suspected… you know the signs?))

(Do you really think…?)

((I don't know. But better safe.))

(I'll watch him.)

Bakura nodded, then went back to packing, his mind cursing at the mundane task before him.

-x—x---x—x-

Yugi shoved another armload of clothes into his bag, pressing down hard to make everything fit.

"You could fold them," observed Harry.

Yugi grinned. "But then where would the challenge be?" Harry stared at him though he was crazy. Yugi just pushed harder on the suitcase, feeling satisfied as something shifted and his hands sunk into luggage carrier. He pulled back slowly, delighted when nothing pounced at him in revenge. "There!" Yugi made a show of clapping his hands together delightedly. Only a few more things left.

Harry was still glancing at him covertly as the wizard was set to the task of making the bed. As much as Yugi appreciated the concern the action was beginning to bother him. He was fine. Certainly he had had a weak moment approaching the house but he would not let that happen again. He was fine. He could handle this.

And he wouldn't make the same mistakes as last time. He wasn't going to drive Harry away. Yugi had been given a second chance and this time he _wasn't_ going to screw it up. He could handle this.

He was fine.

And even if he wasn't he would be. After all he had _died_ before. That had to have been worse than what he was going through. This just felt bad because it was so close. Just give it some time and it would heal on its own. He would be fine without Yami. He had been okay without him for the first twelve years of his life and he could be okay without him again. It would just take time. Just a little time.

He felt a hand smoothly wipe at his cheek. He looked up into concerned emerald eyes. "Yugi?" He heard his name whispered in the careful tone to which one would speak to the dying.

"Harry. What's up?" Yugi closed his eyes and tilted his head, opening his mouth in a slight smile. He knew it was his cutest expression. It had on occasion even spared him from bullies, giving them enough pause to allow him to escape.

"You're crying." The tone was still gentle. Gentle and concerned.

Yugi took a step back, feeling his face in shock. Sure enough his strange and treacherous eyes had betrayed him. Still he smiled. "Oh, look at that. I wonder if I'm allergic to something in here. I hope I didn't pack it."

Harry took a step forward. Yugi took one back. Harry took another step forward. Yugi took one back. Harry took yet another step forward.

Yugi's ankle hit the wall.

He wiped at his eyes again, trying to hide the tell tale signs of how pathetic he was. Yami had known. Yami had always known. Yugi had hoped Harry, at least, would never find out. But as the taller teenager fell into a squat Yugi knew his secret had been betrayed. He could feel his insides shift.

Harry reached forward.

"Don't touch me." It came out a whisper. It wasn't supposed to come out at all but it seemed even his lips had decided to make him look pathetic, his voice cracking with soft despair. Yugi looked down, not wanting to see the disgust in Harry's eyes as he realized exactly _what _it was he allowed to bond to his mind.

A soft touch grabbed his hand as fingers found there way to his chin. Harry gently titled Yugi's head until shattered amethyst eyes met scarred emeralds. Yugi flinched as he felt tenderness flood into his mind, yet Harry didn't pull back. Some instinct guided him, warning him that this could be his only chance to sooth the pain that Yugi was trying to hide.

He dropped his hand from Yugi's chin, instead cupping the boy's free hand. "Yugi," Harry kept his voice impossibly soft, the way he imagined a mother would speak to a child, "you aren't disgusting." The blink was enough to let Harry know that he wasn't believed.

Harry wanted to scream. He had no idea what he was doing. Neither Ron nor Hermione had ever fallen apart like this. Well, Hermione had but somehow Harry doubted knocking out a troll was going to help here.

Harry was useless. He hadn't been able to keep Cedric alive and now Yugi was hurt because he was too stupid to explain the boy that he really was a good person. He didn't know how to tell Yugi that he could trust Harry and he certainly didn't know how to show that the boy. He could see pain in Yugi's eyes and once again Harry found himself in a position where he didn't know how to protect someone. And people wanted him to protect the world. It was a joke.

(You aren't useless,) the feathery touch once against brushed his mind, trying to sweep away his doubts.

((Only if you aren't disgusting,)) Harry fired back, recognizing an opportunity.

Yugi gaped at him. Slowly the expression morphed into a shy smile. (I'll have to remember that you don't play fair.)

((You just don't know the rules.))

Yugi laughed. It started as a giggle then grew, rattling the teen's petite frame until it emerged as a desperate sob. Harry opened his arms and Yugi fell into them, locking like a matching puzzle piece. Harry rocked back, falling on to his seat so he could brace Yugi without his legs falling asleep. He didn't try to ease the sobs. He just ran his fingers through the boy's hair in the way that Ryou and Bakura had done so many times.

Yugi let the tears fall, feeling a tension he hadn't known he was carrying leave his small frame. He didn't know how long he cried for. It must have been a long while. Yet still Harry's mind was pressing against his, radiating acceptance and reassurance. Not once did it pull away. That a filled Yugi with a feeling he had been missing for so many months. So even when he finished crying he was content to just let himself be held.

"Better?" asked Harry lightly.

Yugi nodded into his shoulder. "But I still hurt so much." It escaped as more of a breath then a reply. He doubted that Harry had heard.

He felt Harry's fingers glide along his hair. Yugi instinctively leaned into the touch as the other spoke, "That's okay. I'll be here. When you hurt I'll be here. And when you stop I'll still be here. For as long as you want me I'll be here." He could feel the sincerity of those words as Harry unconsciously echoed them in the bond.

It almost set Yugi off crying again. But he didn't have any tears left at the moment. Instead he felt tired and empty, but in a good way. Except for the headache that was beginning to crawl into his mind.

Harry began to rock back and forth. "Go to sleep. I'll finish packing."

Yugi felt his eyelids begin to close of their own accord. "Mkay," he murmured as his mind was drawn into a healing sleep. Harry sat still, just content to hold the small body in his arms. Part of him wished he could hold Yugi forever. Since he couldn't he would content himself with holding him for now.

Had turned around he would seen a pale figure slip out of the doorway, a soft smile on his lips.

-x—x---x—x-

To CN- No, it's not a slip up. It's a form of contempt. Bakura never respected the idea of Pharaoh and always used the term ironically. Now that Atem isn't actually the king of anything the term is even more derogatory. Like if you have an enemy who you always call "your highness" to emphasize the fact that they aren't.

AN-I didn't forget about Hedwig! I swear!

.

.

.()

More importantly I wrote a sidestory for this chapter. That is 3, count them 3 chapters in 24 hours. I am that amazing. And I spoil you so.

The side story is Yami's POV during he and Yugi's fight. The warning will be contained in that story. You don't need to read it to understand this one. And it IS a darkfic. You have been warned. If you are still interested, check it out. It's called "Schism."

Please review! Pretty please?


	11. Stupid, Modern and Overly Complicated

"And then you push in the dial and it begins to fill with water."

"Absolutely fascinating! These Muggles are quite clever!"

Bakura rolled his eyes as the voices of his hikari and the mother cat's mate floated from the laundry room. Ryou had taken on the job of distracting Mr. Weasley, showing the man all the modern appliances in the house. It hadn't taken long for the wizard shed his nervousness, instead replacing it with a curiosity that bordered on fanaticism. The combination of the man's ignorance and utter lack of common sense left an end product that would have been joyfully slaughtered by Bakura years ago. It left the new and reformed Bakura with strained patience and the urge to kick puppy. Unfortunately the only things in the near vicinity that qualified as such were Yugi, who was off limits for obvious reasons, and Sirius, who was liable to transform and kick him back.

As though summoned by his thoughts Sirius entered to room, dumping a small arm load of trinkets upon the table. Bakura flicked a toothbrush that had landed near him, sending it skittering across the table. He raised one white eyebrow at the junk dumped on the table.

Sirius grinned. "As a lad I know that I always left something at James's place, whether I meant to or not. I thought I'd help prevent that little problem from occurring here." Sirius made a show of looking around the room. "Harry and Yugi still packing?"

Bakura nodded tersely. He had seen Yugi's breakdown through Ryou's eyes. As infinitely grateful as he was that Yugi had managed to let a little emotion out and that he would not have to slay Harry for his response it had also left him feeling agitated. If neither Yugi nor Ryou had needed him Bakura knew that he would have been hunting down the bastard responsibly for Yugi's tears. He had found himself replaying fantasies that he dreamed of with Zorc, imagining his archrival's tortured screams with relish. But since the source of his frustration was beyond his power and Bakura lacked something cute to punish he had been forced to content himself with giving Yugi and Harry some time to themselves. Something they were not likely to get back at Sirius's house.

"Ah," Sirius slumped down into a chair and began fiddling with the devices he had found while Bakura went back to wishing he had a bunny rabbit or a baby panda to take his frustrations out upon. Both of them sat in respective silence, the only sounds being Mr. Weasley's occasional exclamation and the soft scratching of the object Sirius had grabbed as he drug it across the table.

Suddenly the thing in his hands flared to life. Before it had finished proclaiming to be the eggman it was flying across the room, smacking into a wall where it then decided it was safer to be a walrus*. Sirius had his wand out, ready to blast thing if it tried anything.

A restraining hand forced Sirius's wand down as Bakura rolled his eyes. Wizards and their fucking melodrama. He ignored the man's protest as he marched over to Yugi's cell, picking it up in time to have it die in his hands. A mournful tone announced that whoever had called had felt himself important enough to leave a message. Bakura clenched his hands around the device, tempted to squeeze the thing into dust.

Instead he dropped the mobile phone into a pocket, promising himself to return it to Yugi when the boy woke up.

-x—x---x—x-

"There we are," Ryou smiled. "That's the last bag." He wiped his hands dramatically in the sign of a job well done. Bakura huffed and rolled his eyes. Then he gave Ryou a light push.

The hikari stumbled a few steps then pushed Bakura back. The yami growled and moved closer, his arms locking around Ryou's neck and messing the boy's hair. Ryou just laughed and squirmed away, running back into the house with delight.

Bakura scowled for the sake of anyone who might have been watching but in truth he was happy with he behavior. He knew that Ryou had been stressed about returning to his old home in the first place. It wasn't that the house held bad memories for his hikari. It just held too many. In every room was the echo of voices, of laughs of joy and tears of sadness and shouts of anger and screams of despair. The poor boy was at the mercy of every Christmas and every birthday.

Yugi had known. Yugi always seemed to know. The boy had left Ryou wit the option of a hotel. Despite what he told the wizards Yugi had placed absolutely no pressure on Ryou where the viewing of his past was concerned. Bakura was always surprised by Yugi's perceptiveness. He knew that he shouldn't be.

If anyone knew about secrets it was Yugi.

Bakura shook his head, dislodging the dark thought. It could be dealt with later. He scowled. It seems that everything he had to done could be done later. Part of him missed his desert days where instant satisfaction was only a knife twitch away. Stupid modern world made things so complicated.

Speaking of stupid, modern and making the world overly complicated the wizards had gathered around the table. The mutt was looking dark and serious while the flame top had returned to his state of nervousness, shooting furtive glances at the window as though he expected someone to come crashing through it. Scar Face was holding Yugi tightly as the kid blinked sleepily in his arms, Harry shooting both of the adults' suspicious glances. Ryou was hovering by the door with an outstretch hand.

Bakura didn't need to read his mind to know what his hikari wanted. He grabbed the hand and settled himself into a chair, tipping it back and tossing his feet onto the table. When he felt himself suitably settled he raised an eyebrow. "Spill it."

Sirius smirked but the expression was tired and faded, the humor a dull twinkle shadowed by horror and regret. "Since you put it so eloquently." Sirius stood. He began to pace before finding the words to begin. "There is no one at Grimmauld Place that would condone me telling you what I'm about to tell you."

"It's not that they don't trust you," cut in Mr. Weasley. "It's just that-"

"They don't trust you. Dumbledore doesn't like you," Sirius pointed at Yugi, Ryou, then meaningfully at Bakura, "Because you are something unforeseen. You make him uneasy because you are proof that he doesn't always know and can't always understand. That makes him suspicious of you. In turn the rest of the Order has become suspicious of you."

"That's ridiculous!" fumed Harry, unconsciously gripping Yugi tighter. "It's not like they are Death Eaters or anything." There was a pregnant pause. "Oh you can't be _serious_."

Sirius let out a bitter laugh but it was Mr. Weasley who answered. "Things are going back to the way they were before. No one trusts anyone and those who do end up dead. How much have you had a chance to tell them about the situation?"

"We know about the crazy fuck trying to kill Harry," Bakura sounded bored by the notion. And he was. He had been on a few of his own murderous rampages so he knew what it entailed. Harry had mentioned some of his encounters with man trying to kill him and Bakura had taken away an impression of a villain who seemed to be either incredibly stupid or incompetent. Sure, Bakura had failed to kill Yugi on many occasions but he had also been dealing with the fucking pharaoh of Egypt, the child of the very Gods. That and the very body he was using had been set against him. He at least had an excuse for his failure. Voldemort had a year to kill an untrained child when no one knew that he was out there and he _still_ hadn't managed to pull it off.

It was embarrassing to the profession.

Sirius sighed, ceasing his pacing and slumping into a chair. He tapped his fingers on the wood before beginning again. "As I said, no one wants you to know what is really going on. Partly because they don't trust you three and partly because they want to protect Harry." Harry snorted.

Arthur nodded. "Exactly. Ignorance doesn't keep people safe. It never has. You are more likely to be killed by something you've never heard of than something you've been guarding yourself from all your live."

"Which is why we thought it best to tell you what is going on. It is time we tell you something that no one thought you should. It's time you knew the truth."

"The truth?" Harry echoed. Yugi sat up straighter in his arms, all traces of sleep vanishing into the familiar "it's time to save the day" expression. Bakura rolled his eyes. As long as no one made a friendship speech he might be able to hold down his stomach contents.

Sirius tapped his fingers. Then he sighed tragically, his eyes focused on the faces of those who died long ago. "The truth," he spoke softly, as so not to wake the ghosts of the past, "On why your parents died. On why Voldemort wants to, no, _needs_ to kill you, Harry. It's time you new what was really going on."

"But you can't let anyone know you know. Like third year, eh Harry?" Mr. Weasley gave a slightly hysterical laugh.

Sirius ignored his partner in crime. "Earlier you were asking about whether or not people have started dying. They haven't. Not yet. Your survival of Voldemort's resurrection has placed him at a disadvantage. He has been at least partially exposed as having returned before he had planned it. He is weak. He needs followers. More importantly, he needs an edge, something to give him the boost that will allow him to defeat you. He is looking for a weapon.

"But not just any weapon. Voldemort is looking for one in particular. Voldemort is looking for the prophecy. The prophecy about you."

"What?" Harry blinked.

Bakura, however, swore. "No! No no no! Nuh uh! No fucking way. We are not getting involved in another off-to-save-the-world prophecy! This is fucking bullshit!" He twisted, his eyes narrowing on Yugi. "Midget! This is _your_ fault! How the fuck did you manage to find the one person in the all of Europe that is wrapped up in this bullshit? What are you, a fucking magnet? Fuck, Yugi!"

The entire room collectively held its breath. Ryou stared at his yami in horror. He _knew_ how fragile Yugi was! He_ knew_ better than to be raising his voice! He turned to Yugi, afraid to see his friend's face broken into agony.

Yugi's face was twisted, but not with grief. His brow was furrowed as he considered. "You know, Bakura might have a point. This _is_ beginning to get a little excessive." He tossed his head dismissively. "Oh well. At the very least it will be interesting. And we can help Harry out since we've done this before."

Bakura snorted. "That's all fine and dandy for you, you optimistic bastard, but if you get yourself killed again I am going to kill you."

Yugi rolled his eyes and giggled. He winked at Harry. "Don't worry. Bakura's just sad because no one makes prophecies about him." (He won't abandon us.)

((Us?)) Harry echoed dully.

Worry was instantly there. (You still do want me here, right?) He had thought Harry had been sincere, but if they boy changed his-

((Yes! I'm not changing my mind. I just thought, well, you know-))

Giggles danced like seeds in the breeze. (Okay. We need to fix this. I will trust you to tell me if you want to leave-)

((-I don't-))

(And you'll trust me to do the same. Okay?)

((Deal.))

(In the meantime, people are talking to you.)

"What?" Harry's shot up.

"Aaaaaand he's back," drawled Bakura, sounding like a bad sportscaster.

Arthur was shooting Harry concerned glances. Sirius really hoped his godson managed to master the whole telepathy thing before he made it back to Hogwarts, otherwise he would never be able to shake the stories Rita Skeeter had painted him with. Still, Bakura had a point. If he drew this out much longer the Order was likely to pop in just to make no one was dead. "There is a prophecy." He waited until he was sure everyone was on the same page before resuming. "One of Voldemort's followers heard it years ago. It was because of this prophecy that Voldemort murdered your parents. It was why he was trying to murder you. You were his target that night, Harry. He needs to finish what he started all those years ago before he can truly take over without fear. But he also needs the prophecy."

"What does the prophecy say?" Ryou asked quietly.

Sirius smiled bitterly. "I have no idea. Only Dumbledore has heard the whole thing and he has never chosen to share. Apparently Voldemort only ever heard part of it. I would tell you more, if I could. But I don't know the rest."

"So what bloody good does this do us?" Bakura shifted, his feet sliding from the table and his chair leaning forward with a snap.

"Well, now we know," Yugi pointed out sagely.

"Yes," whispered Sirius. "Now you know."

Harry sat in silence, his mind shocked into silence while he struggled to absorb information. So. His life had been decided by a prophecy. A prophecy he didn't even get to know about. Voldemort was trying to kill him over a stupid prophecy. One the man didn't even know all of. It was ridiculous. It was pathetic.

Yugi grabbed Harry's hand, sending as much comfort as he could down the link. He saw some of the lines on Harry's face ease but it did little for the dark thoughts swirling in his mind. Yugi sighed, but didn't further intrude. He could sense that Harry needed to handle this on his own.

-x—x---x—x-

Dumbledore ruffled his way through the papers with an aggrieved sigh. So far there had been nothing. Absolutely nothing. No mention of another type of magic, no mention of a curse, no mention of half souls. There was nothing in English or Japanese mythology to cover it, never mind any hints on to fix the problem. The Japanese wizarding community also seemed to be painfully blissful of Yugi Mutou' s existence. No one knew anything about the boy that wasn't available on public record.

Dumbledore was feeling frustrated. Worse than that, he felt defeated. He had wanted to be rid of the complications before the school year arose, but it did not look like that would be possible.

Still, it wasn't over until it was over.

Dumbledore began to hum as he finally found the sheet he needed. He smiled a small smile and began to fill out the sheet, making sure to be very specific in his requests for exam proctors.

His smile brightened as Fawkes carried the sheet to the ministry. Dumbledore was a man of his word. He had promised the boys acceptance to Hogwarts.

He never said they would be in the same class as Harry.

-x—x---x—x-

The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix had become even tenser after the boys had returned with their belongings. Sirius had let out a terse explanation of Mr. Weasley getting lost while the boys had all made a point of excusing themselves. Harry had locked himself in his room while Ryou and Bakura had done the same to the one they shared with Yugi. Everyone had assumed that Yugi had also barricaded himself in with them while the albinos assumed that Yugi had snuck into Harry's room.

Instead Yugi had crept into a corner of a room that had yet to be cleaned and was huddled as dust fell around him. He could feel Harry's turmoil running off like waves but he also knew Harry wasn't ready to speak about it yet. Bakura and Ryou were probably getting into a fight. Unless they decided that Bakura needed to release his tension another way. No matter what they had chosen Yugi still didn't want to be in the room while they were sorting things out.

And he didn't want to be with the other wizards. They would pry. He knew what Ryou and Bakura had been protecting him from. He knew that the wizards didn't like him, even before Sirius had mentioned it. They were nice enough, but that wasn't the same as being friendly. And they still thought they needed to know about Yami.

Yugi was tempted to tell them how to break the bond just so they would quit asking after what wasn't theirs to know. But if they found it out it was as simple as Harry not wanting it there they would begin to apply pressure o him and Yugi knew that the Boy-Who-Lived hardly needed any more of that in his life. When Harry grew tired of the bond Yugi would accept his decision to leave but he wasn't going to allow a bunch of strangers to force the issue. Yugi would bear the constant reminder of his scars is it meant sparing Harry pain. Yugi had shared the boy's nightmares. He knew Harry didn't need anymore.

Yugi desperately wished he was back in Japan. He missed his friends. Yes, he enjoyed Bakura and Ryou's company, but Jonouchi's antics had always had a way of making him feel better even in the darkest of moments. There was nothing like being able to go to the arcade with a friend and save the day from zombies. And Jonouchi would be worried. Yugi had promised to call the blond when he returned to Japan but now he wasn't. And he didn't know where his cell phone was.

Yugi moaned, dropping his head into his hand.

The door creaked open. "Hello?" a soft voice echoed in the darkness. Yugi balled himself tighter into a corner, shutting his eyes so the intruder would go away. "I know you're in here so you might as well answer." It worked as well as it always did. Still Yugi stayed in his ball, burying his head in his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around them.

Soft footsteps stirred more dust as the figure moved around the room. Yugi just tried to make himself invisible, just like he had in high school, before he had ever solved the puzzle.

"Yugi?" Hermione asked in shock. She had seen him around but handed had any opportunity to speak with him, what with his friends and the adults both vying for his attention and tossing chores her way before she got too close. Harry had remained closed on the subject and, not wanting to ruin chances at mending fences Hermione had taken the hint and backed off. And now here he was. The elusive Yugi Mutou, all alone.

Alone and sitting on a dirty floor. Hermione didn't miss the way he shuddered at the sound of her voice, nor did she miss the tension in his shoulders. Everyone had come back from their trip to Little Whinging stressed and snappish. Harry had practically growled when Ron had tried to get into the room.

She sat down across from where Yugi had wedged himself between a desk and a bookshelf, ignoring the state of the room. Her clothes could wash. Instead she focused on Yugi. She stared at his the way she would a book with vital information. At first nothing happened. He sat still, occasionally releasing a shuddering breath. But slowly it began to get to him. He shifted under her gaze. He squirmed. He even wriggled.

Finally he looked up. "Can I help you with something?" Despite the polite phrasing Hermione could here the annoyance in his voice, but it provided a thin cover for the real emotions there.

Hermione froze, pulling out of her stare. She hadn't actually planned that far a head. She barely knew Yugi. She had no idea what could be the source of his ill and her people skills were far from exemplary. But if she was unsuccessful in communicating with Yugi now she could lose all opportunity to do so in the future. She needed to say something. Any thing?

"Do you want me to tutor you?"

Yugi gaped. "Excuse me?"

"Well," Hermione fidgeted some more, "I know about the entrance exam Dumbledore wishes you to take and I know we don't have much time but perhaps I could assist you in learning about magic. I'm the top of my class so I know a lot and I have my books from last year here so if you wish to read them you can."

Yugi stared at her for a few more seconds. Then he let out a smile that made the dark room shine. "I would be honored to have your assistance, Hermione." He berated himself silently. Just because his old friends weren't here was no reason for him not to make new ones.

Hermione grinned. "Oh good! And the offer is open to Ryou and Bakura too! You should really read _Hogwarts: A History_. No one does which is strange because it is simply fascinating. It will tell you everything you could need to know about the school." Yugi's eyes widened as Hermione told him about the school, about the sorting hat and the ceiling in the Great Hall. She also told him about the Forbidden Forest and some of the magical creatures they had earned about. Yugi listened with fascination, leaning forward to catch her every word. Hermione was enjoying having a rapt audience and was wrapped up in trying to figure out which information Yugi needed first. She was even more delighted when Yugi asked the occasional question.

Both of them were so engaged in their conversation that they jumped when the door flew open.

"Midget!" shouted Bakura, "make the bloody thing shut up!"

Yugi gasped and scrambled to catch the singing object. It landed in his hands and let out a mournful wail. His eyes widened in delight. "My cellular!" He flipped it open.

And paled in horror.

"Yugi?" Hermione inquired, seeming his expression crumble.

"Midget?" Bakura crouched down beside them. "Midget, what's wrong?" Yugi passed him the phone. There were forty-two unread messages. Bakura looked down and sighed. Yugi really was a lightening rod for trouble. "Do you want me to listen to them first?"

Yugi shook his head. "No… but could you be there when I listen? Just in case?"

Bakura nodded. "Come on. Let's get this over with." He tugged Yugi off the floor and hauled him out of the room. As Hermione watched them go she saw Yugi give a little wave.

-x—x---x—x-

Yugi, Ryou and Bakura sat around the cell, staring at the little device with determination. It had remained silent, as though understanding it was the source of all current woes.

Ryou grabbed Yugi's hand while Bakura leaned forward and hit the button.

The first message played.

"_Call me."_

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Kaiba's voice died off of the phone, which rolled on to play the next message.

"_I thought I told you to call me."_

Then the next.

"_When I said 'call me' I meant immediately."_

"_Dammit Mutou, answer your phone."_

"_Yugi Mutou, pick up your mobile this instance. I will not be ignored!"_

The listened in growing amazement as the messages grew longer and angrier, soon reaching a dramatic climax.

"_Why the hell haven't you called me? Did you think I was joking? Huh? You don't take me seriously? You think you're better than me? Or is it you just don't want me to embarrass you in front of your friends? Do you really think that you can hide from ME? DO you realize who I am? I SETO KAIBA! I _am KaibaCorp_ and I am going to FIND YOU and DUEL YOU into submission! Who will better then! Huh? Huh Mutou? Who will be better when I finally de-"_

Ryou wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry for his friend. Yugi was looking at his phone as though it might come to life and bite him at any moment. The good news was there was only one more message left. The bad news was that the phone had cut off Kaiba, probably leaving him in an even fouler temper.

Bakura hit the button.

"_I'm outside."_

Bakura looked down at the device. "What the fuck does that mean?"

Yugi paled. "Oh no!" he whispered.

Ryou looked down at Yugi. "You don't think he…?" Their eyes met and they both bolted down stairs.

Harry poked hi head out of the door as he heard the litany running through Yugi's head. He watched in shock as the all of the trio shoved past him, heading for the front door. ((Yugi?))

(Ohnonononononononononononononononononono-)

((Yugi?!))

(-nononononononononononononononononononononono-) Yugi didn't even hear Harry. He threw open the wooden door, knowing he had to be wrong. There was no way.

Yet sure enough, standing outside in the middle of London looking as though he own the city, was Kaiba.

-x—x---x—x-

AN- heh heh heh.

*The Beatles, people. The Beatles. If you didn't know this… don't tell me… I don't need that kind of depression


	12. Assumptions

AN-Once again, only going to say this once. _"Italicized" _is Japanese. But only if it's all italicized. Like _this_ is still for emphasis.

-x—x---x—x-

Kaiba stared at the GPS, his fury rising like the sun and burning like dragon fire. According to the blasted machine he was standing on top of Yugi, or at least his cell phone, but unless someone had managed to bury the thing in the middle of the road and repave it immaculately, the device was wrong. Kaiba gave it a hard look. Had it been conscious of its own existence the handheld tracker would have shuddered in fear. Since it wasn't it continued to bleep pleasantly, announcing its so-called success to the world.

Kaiba glanced up, once again looking around the street for any sign of Yugi. When that failed his eyes narrowed, searching for the weirdness that seemed to follow the boy wherever he went. When Kaiba didn't spot anything his fists tightened. He glanced down on the GPS, which was still congratulating itself on a job well done.

Kaiba had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Hunger. It was just hunger. It had been hours since he had been able to eat. Ever since the loser dog had returned from England.

"_Kaiba."_

The CEO sniffed as he was pulled into the memory.

"_What are you doing in my office?"_ _Kaiba glanced up from his computer only long enough to confirm what his ears were telling him. He was a very busy man. He didn't have time to put up with the Egyptian brat. Not only did he have a company to run and a brother to watch, but now he also had a security team to fire. _

_Atem leaned against the door, his body radiating arrogance. His lips were twisted into their usual smirk. Kaiba almost imagined he could hear the echoing laughter of the other teen. Atem pushed himself off of the door, shrugging nonchalantly. "I want to duel you."_

_Kaiba made a show of rolling his eyes. Normally such crass actions were beneath him but Atem didn't seem to be the type to get the hint and Kaiba was getting sick and tired of having this conversation with half-wits, even if they did resemble his archrival. "You didn't beat Yugi in the tournament. You aren't the King of Games. You aren't worth my time. I have told you. The only person that I will duel is Yugi."_

_Atem slid forward, jingling as the metal that dangled from his clothes swayed with the movement of his body. "Yugi's gone."_

_Kaiba's fingers stopped dancing over the keys. Slowly he turned his chair, giving Atem his full and undivided attention. "And what, pray tell, do you mean by that?"_

_Almost everyone else in the world would have squirmed under that gaze. Atem merely raised an eyebrow. "Do you really need to ask? If you're this dense it is a small wonder that you always lost." Kaiba's attention didn't waver, his oceanic eyes full of icebergs. Atem sighed dramatically. "Yugi's gone. He won't be coming back to duel you or anybody else. Ever."_

"_Is that all you have to say?" Atem held his smirk as Kaiba stared at him icily, but he didn't respond. The CEO spun his chair, but instead of turning back to his computer he touched a small speaker on his desk. "Mrs. Ishikawa? Send in security. A stray has found its way into my office."_

_The smirk slid from Atem's face, a look of boiling rage replacing it. "Kaiba!" he barked, "What the hell do you think you are doing?"_

_Kaiba felt the corner of his lips turn up. His body filled with hot satisfaction when the suits entered the room, roughly grabbing Atem by the arms. Kaiba allowed himself a rare smile. "Can't you tell? I'm having the trash removed from my office."_

"_Bastard!" the Egyptian hissed, his crimson eyes narrowing. "You'll come begging me to duel soon enough. I'm the only opponent you have left." _

_Kaiba merely nodded, watching as Atem was indignantly dragged from the room. He watched from his window, smirking as he saw the small figures emerge from the door below. He bared his teeth as one was unceremoniously heaved into a dumpster. _

_Maybe his security team wasn't _completely_ useless. _

_He watched for a while, as the figure hauled itself out and tried to make its self presentable. Not that that would happen. They had been forced to dispose of a several ink canisters and contents due to a miscalculation. The loss of the liquid prototype had just proven to be worth it._

_As the psychedelic figure dwindled into the distance Kaiba moved back to his chair, the words that had filled his silent office still bouncing off the walls. _

_It couldn't be true. Yugi was practically invincible. There was no way the boy could be gone. He had promised Kaiba a duel when they returned to Japan. Yugi never recanted a promise. He was coming back. He had to be. He had damn well _better_ be!_

_Kaiba reached for his phone._

That had been three days ago. Three days and not a single response. The disgust at Yugi's behaviour was why he couldn't eat. That's right. Disgust. He still didn't understand why Mokuba had giggled when he hard heard that. Kaiba would not suffer such indignities. Yugi would pay for that. Yugi was going to pay for a lot of things. Soon Kaiba would have his revenge. Soon.

But first he had to find the little bastard.

-x—x---x—x-

The trio sat on the steps, observing the billionaire even as they were hidden from view by the various magical enchantments of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. They had been there for over an hour, watching Kaiba's every move.

Not that that was overly interesting. The boy had fallen into a rather simple cycle. Stare at box in hand. Glare at box in hand. Stare at surroundings. Glare at surroundings. Flip open phone. Glare at phone. Repeat.

"Um," Yugi started for the hundredth time, "Maybe I should call him?"

"No."

"But if I don't he'll-"

"No."

"But it's about to rain!"

"So?"

"Pleeease?"

Bakura closed his eyes. Yugi's cutesy eyes could only work when one could see them. He also tightened his grip on the boy's cell. The only thing that had stopped him from smashing it the first time Yugi had thought to phone Kaiba was Ryou pointing out it was the best way they had of getting in touch with Grandpa.

"Maybe you should let him," Ryou fidgeted nervously beside his other half. Bakura shot his treacherous hikari a look.

((Oh not you too.))

Ryou bit his lip. (Yugi might be right. We are dealing with Kaiba here. He found us here and we still don't know how. What if he follows us to Hogwarts? Can you imagine how mad he will be after searching for so long? Do you really want to deal with Kaiba after he's been left to stew?)

((Answer is still no.))

(Kura,) Ryou used the nickname Yugi had given the thief, (Please? I don't think Kaiba means us any trouble. I think he might actually _like_ Yugi. He did save Mokuba, after all.)

"We are _not_ calling him," Bakura snarled.

"Calling who?"

"Kaiba you fuckwit!" Bakura yelled. It took his brain a few more seconds to realize that neither Yugi nor Ryou had voiced the question. He looked up from his perch, craning his neck to stare into Lupin's face. He glowered, not bothering to retract his statement.

Lupin pointed with his chin. "I take it that's who that young gentleman is?" Bakura sniggered at the idea of Kaiba being a gentle-anything while Yugi and Ryou nodded in response. "Ah," nodded Lupin. "And what do you think we need to do with him?"

"We could kill him," suggested Bakura offhandedly. He grumbled when he was completely ignored.

Yugi played with the hem of his shirt. "I'm not sure. Kaiba really doesn't believe in magic, so he won't accept this." Yugi sighed, resting his elbows on his knees so his hands could cradle his chin. "On the other hand he isn't going to go away until he finds me. I could phone him but I don't think that would be enough anymore. But if we don't deal with him he's likely to follow us and get himself hurt. " He fumbled for the words to describe his self-proclaimed rival. "Kaiba's a bit. . . zealous in his pursuits."

Ryou smiled fondly at Yugi even as Bakura snorted again. Kaiba? Zealous? That was like saying Voldemort was just misunderstood. Yugi had a gift for understatement.

Lupin looked thoughtful. "Maybe we should invite him in? That way you boys can explain what's going on."

"Um… I don't know if that's a good idea…" Ryou trailed off, wincing as Kaiba snapped his phone shut yet again.

"Nonsense," smiled Lupin. "I'll go Floo Dumbledore to see if it's alright. I'll be back in a jiffy." With that he vanished into the house before anyone could further protest.

Yugi, Ryou and Bakura all shared a look. They knew what the wizard was really after. They also knew that he would never get it from Kaiba.

Bakura leaned back as Kaiba's gaze swooped over them, the billionaire missing what he was looking for.

"This should be amusing."

-x—x---x—x-

Kaiba didn't react as the buildings began to morph and change, revealing another entrance that had not been there before. Instead his mind listed all of the possibly explanations for the phenomenon and settled on "weird shit happens around Yugi." As an elderly man with white hair and matching beard approached Kaiba bit back sigh. The man was wearing robes. Soft, powder blue robes. Why was Mutou a freak magnet?

Dumbledore approached the teen with his most grandfatherly air, hoping to make the boy feel comfortable. "Evening," he called, waving a hand.

The teen just stared.

Dumbledore kept his approach, determined not to ruin his chance to find out more about the boys who had fallen in with Harry. He tried again to begin a conversation. "You look a little lost. Is there anyway in which I might be of service?"

The teen just stared.

Dumbledore felt the twinges of nervousness beginning. This wasn't going anything like he had planned. A frown creased his face at unexpected potential problem that he simply hadn't considered. "Do you speak English?"

The teen just stared.

Dumbledore berated himself. It had been a stupid assumption. Why would the Japanese boy know England's tongue?

Kaiba stared at the crazy old man, reading the worry in his face. The old man was beginning to squirm. It was the most amusing thing he had seen since Atem had forcibly gone dumpster diving into rainbows. Still, indulging in excess could lead to potential problems and Kaiba had bigger wish to fry. Well, he thought of Yugi, maybe not _bigger_, but definitely more important fish to fry.

He reached into his coat, pulling out a photo of he and Yugi. Mokuba was the fiend holding the camera. He was also the reason that Yugi and Kaiba had been spending any sort of time together outside of the dueling circle. The boy had insisted on dragging his brother to the park for family time while also having invited Yugi. Neither duelist knew the other would be there until they met face to face. Kaiba would never admit that he had enjoyed the day, but he had found amusement when Yugi and Mokuba had tripped over one another and ended up in the small pond.

Mokuba's revenge for his brother's laughter had been taking the photo of Yugi in the mansion while Kaiba had been handing him a cup of tea. In the photo Yugi was wrapped in a giant blanket so as to fend of the chill, Kaiba having told his brother that it would not be pleased if his rival died of pneumonia. That was the only reason Mutou had ended up at his house and the only reason he would ever bother to do something like bring tea to the King of Games.

Mokuba had had copies of the photo made. Seto had only discovered that after he destroyed the first one. And the second one. By the tenth Kaiba had copped on to the fact that his little brother was exactly that, _his_ little brother, and that the boy had gotten one over Seto. So Seto had been forced to keep a copy in his wallet, lest Mokuba start distributing the remaining copies to the general public.

A relieved smile broke onto the old man's face as he examined the photograph. He pointed at it. "Yugi." Kaiba nodded. The man pointed to himself. "Dumbledore." Kaiba almost chortled. Game was hanging out with Bumblebee? People really needed to learn how to name their children.

Dumbledore waited in silence, hoping the teenager would volunteer his name. It took Kaiba a few seconds before doing so, not because he was actually trying to be rude but because he was unused to dealing with people who didn't immediately recognize him. The fact that man had needed the introduction raised Kaiba's suspicions.

The old man shot Kaiba a smile that didn't reach his eyes before leading him into the house that had magically appeared. No. Not magically. Unexpectedly. There were bound to be holograms or folding walls or something that would explain how it had arrived. Maybe Kaiba had ingested a drug that was in the air. That would explain it. He was just hallucinating. No big deal.

Kaiba examined the summoned images of his mind carefully as he looked around the house he had been lead into. The first room was a mess. Its contents had been forced up against the walls as though an explosion of some sort had been detonated in the center of the room. Attempts had been made at cleaning and repairing the space, but Kaiba could tell they had been futile. It would take a team of home repair experts to fix the mess that had been left. Yet Kaiba took some small comfort from the sight.

He recognized the handiwork.

-x—x---x—x-

Yugi squirmed in his seat, watching the doors anxiously. He was not pleased that Dumbledore had gone out to pick up Kaiba. The old man's eccentric appearance would be enough to put the already irate businessman on edge. But Dumbledore had been unwilling to listen to reason and had simply patted Yugi's head and declared that he was doing it for the safety of everyone involved. Ryou ad had to cover Bakura's mouth to keep the Ring Spirit from informing Dumbledore exactly what he thought of the man's definition of 'safety.'

Instead Yugi and his friends had been once again herded into the kitchen. Yugi had grabbed a chair near the entrance, as had Bakura and Ryou. The Thief King had also claimed a spare. For his feet, he had explained. Yugi had smiled in gratitude.

Harry had once again been steered to the exact opposite side of the room as Yugi. Sirius had lost his position guarding the boy to Hermione, who was leaning in and whispering to Harry anxiously. Bill Weasley, the oldest of the redheaded offspring present, had taken up Harry's other side. Ron had landed a place beside Bill. The rest of the adults were spread sporadically through out the kitchen, all of them talking quietly to each other.

A hush fell over the room when Dumbledore pushed open the doors, a teenager following close behind.

"Kaiba!" Yugi was on his feet before anyone else could react. He stumbled over his chair, putting himself in the billionaire's path, where he froze. Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Yugi exploded into Japanese. _"I am so sorry, Kaiba-kun! I swear I wasn't ignoring you. I didn't even know you had called until I received your last message because I had forgotten my phone at Ryou-kun's house and we haven't been there since the day after the tournament and I didn't even think to check messages because I actually had forgotten all about my phone and it was Bakura-kun who had found it and he was distracted so he forget he had it and didn't remember until you called to tell us you were here but I know how much you hate this sort of thing and I didn't want to get you involved but I wasn't sure what I should do and I am so,_ so _sorry!"_ Yugi bobbed as he bowed repeatedly.

"_Oh?"_ Kaiba asked mockingly. _"So you weren't avoiding our duel?"_

"_Duel?"_ Yugi blinked.

Kaiba pointed an accusing finger. _"Don't tell me you forgot!" _Yugi swallowed hard. _"Dammit Mutou! You owe me a duel! Don't think hiding in England is going to save you from defeat at my hands!"_

"_It's not like that!" _Yugi waved his hands frantically, _"I didn't mean to! It's just I got caught up in other… things." _ Yugi looked around the room.

Kaiba sniffed. _"You joined a cult? That's stupid, even for you."_

"_He didn't join a fucking cult you retard."_

Kaiba pinned Bakura with a frosty glare. _ "Like a psycho like you could tell."_

"_You wanna go, Priest?" _Bakura stood slowly, rage burning in his eyes.

Kaiba's eyes were making Pluto look warm. _"If you call me that again I will have you sealed in a tomb, psycho. Now Yugi and I are speaking. Don't interrupt."_

((Would he do that?))

(Harry?)

((Would he really lock Bakura in a tomb?))

(You understand Japanese?!)

((You're speaking Japanese!?!))

(Later! We'll discuss this later!) Yugi winced as he caught sight of Bakura's face. The Thief King was pissed.

Bakura snarled. _"Don't act like you're in charge here. You have no fucking clue what's going on. Like usual." _

Kaiba's eye twitched.

"So Yugi," Dumbledore cut in gracefully, pretending to oblivious to the rising tension, "Why don't you act as translator between your friend and us?"

Kaiba's gaze moved onto Dumbledore. "I hardly need this pipsqueak here to tell me what your saying. I have two perfectly good ears."

Dumbledore blinked and stammered, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you understood English. I thought you didn't understand me." His tone held a hint of reproach.

"I try not to lower myself to speaking with the insane." Kaiba took a step closer to Yugi. "You and I are returning to Japan. Now."

Yugi sighed and shook his head. "I can't, Kaiba. I have things I need to do here. I'm going to be going to school here in the fall. A magic school," Yugi breathed the last line out like a confession.

Kaiba's gaze swiveled to Bakura. "And you said this isn't a cult."

"We aren't a _cult_!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, horrified.

Seto glanced around the room. "You are wearing matching apparel. You all seem to be carrying similar accessories and I am willing to bet that you have some insane belief about the supernatural. And since you are actively recruiting new members," he indicated Yugi, Ryou and Bakura, "You are a cult."

"This is why I suggested killing him," grumbled Bakura. He was once again ignored.

"We," Dumbledore drew himself up with dignity, "Are not a cult. We are wizards, members of a magical underground that Muggles like yourself know nothing about."

"Let's keep it that way. Yugi, we're leaving."

Yugi shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm going to help Harry." Kaiba stared hard at Yugi.

Fred rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just show him?"

"Excellent idea, if I do say so myself," George grinned evilly. Kaiba eyed them both suspiciously.

"Boys!" Mrs. Weasley cried out, far too late to stop anything.

"_Rictusempra!"_

A flash of silver made it's way towards Kaiba. The CEO frowned at the colored light. It annoyed him, but he wasn't afraid of it. After all, he didn't _believe_ in magic.

As though deterred by the thought the spell veered, slamming into Ryou.

"Hikari!" Bakura moved, grabbing the other half of his soul. Ryou look stunned for a few seconds. Then he began to laugh. He started to rub himself, as though fending off invisible hands. Still he laughed the sound shaking his body hard enough to knock him out of this chair and onto to the floor.

"You broke the schizoid," Kaiba observed calmly.

Fred and George exchanged sheepish grins. "Looks like someone's ticklish."

Arthur quickly undid the spell. Kaiba was watching the twins suspiciously, just in case they tried anything else, while Dumbledore was watching Kaiba with much the same look. He took a step forward and grabbed the CEO.

Seconds later he was flying across the room. And he hadn't been propelled by magical means. Everyone winced as the old magician clattered onto the table, skidding to a halt inches before he ended up in Bill and Ron's lap.

"Kaiba doesn't like to be touched," Yugi explained, just in case someone in the room had missed that fact. Everyone nodded slowly.

Dumbledore shifted until his feet found the floor. He brushed himself off. "Ah. I should have asked. I'm sorry," he offered a smile in apology. Kaiba merely stared. "But I did learn something. You, my boy, have magic."

Yugi giggled while Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Not you too."

Ryou smiled softly at the puzzled stares. "We've been telling Kaiba he is magically inclined for years."

"And you are all crazy." Seto shook his head. He should have known Yugi would be in this deep already.

"But Seto," Bakura earned a glare for using the CEO's first name and the mockingly sweet tone, "This means you can come to our super special magical school of wuv and rainbows with us. Wouldn't that be special?"

"You are the only thing 'special' here. Just so you know there is medication for that sort of thing."

Bakura scowled at Kaiba. "Go fuck a dragon."

"Thanks for the invitation but I don't swing that way and you're not my type."

"_Stop! Please" _Yugi begged in his native tongue. _"Can we not do this now?"_ His dark eyes began to shine with gathering moisture. Bakura jaw clicked shut as he swallowed his retort. He and Kaiba settled for glaring at each other, neither of them willing to face Yugi's tears.

Dumbledore broke in again. "Bakura is right. You would be more than welcome to come to school with the others on the same conditions they need to fulfill."

"Which are?" Kaiba eyed the old man suspiciously.

"You need to be able to provide the funds for your education-"

"Next."

Dumbledore frowned. "Are you sure you don't need to hear the amount. It is pricey."

Kaiba smiled a cold, predatory smile. "I could buy your pathetic island. I'm sure I can afford the fee to join your crazy cult. Next."

Dumbledore shifted as he grew increasingly uncomfortable. "You need the signature of a parent or guardian."

Kaiba waved a hand. "I'm my own guardian. Next."

"You need to pass an achievement test to determine your year."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at that. He paused, considering. If Yugi had accepted the terms Kaiba could do it. Kaiba could do anything Yugi could do. He nodded. "I can accept those terms _if_ I decide to go to your school of hocus-pocus nonsense, but as of yet I have no motivation to go."

"But you have magic!" gasped Hermione. "Would you really pass up an opportunity to learn how to use it?" A look from Seto Kaiba and everyone knew that answer. Hermione shook head in horrified disbelief.

"You would have an opportunity to go to school with your peers," Dumbledore threw out, beginning to feel a bit desperate. He needed the answers that Kaiba had. He wouldn't get them if the boy returned to Japan.

A raised eyebrow revealed what Kaiba thought of counting the trio as his peers.

Bakura flipped his hair. "You wouldn't have to go to school with the mutt this year."

"Bakura! He has a name!" Yugi cried out horrified.

Kaiba rubbed his chin. "That's actually a pretty good point." He shook his head. "It's not enough. Yugi, pack your things. We are going back."

Yugi sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." He straightened out and in a clear voice declared, "I challenge you to a game."

Kaiba scowled. "Oh no you don't Mutou. I'm not going to duel you until we get back to Japan. That was the deal."

Yugi stared up innocently. "I said a 'game,' not a 'duel.' I'll even make it worth your while."

Kaiba watched Yugi from the corner of his eyes, knowing there was a trap here somewhere. Still, he lived for challenge. "What are the stakes?"

Yugi smiled brightly, knowing Kaiba wouldn't back down now. "You win I go back to Japan and instead of a private game I agree to enter a tournament, fully publicized, just like how you originally wanted. I win and you come to the school with us and we still have the duel we originally agreed upon next summer."

((Yugi! What are you-))

(Trust me, Harry. I won't lose.)

((But-))

(Harry. I am the King of Games.) Harry sighed. He promised himself he wouldn't forgive Yugi if the boy went and got himself dragged back to Japan because a of a game.

This sounded too good to be true. Yet Kaiba found himself intrigued. "Which game?"

"Wizard's chess."

-x—x---x—x-

AN-whew! This chapter is sooo long! The dancing monkey should be in about 2-3 more chapters, barring inspirations.

Check out Rage and Grace by gothabie283. I like it. I figured you might too. It's got a neat plot. Seriously. Give it a looksie.

And don't forget to review!

XD


	13. Divergent Thinking

Kaiba stared down in at the board. He had known it was too good to be true. It was always too good to be true. So why on earth had he ignored his instincts? Pride. Mutou had played on his pride. The little wily bastard was pure evil, no matter how cute people seemed to think he looked.

The chess pieces whimpered under Kaiba's gaze. They half expected him to pull out a wand and blat their enchanted selves into their next lifetime. Kaiba, however, settled on glaring.

"Will he be all right?" asked Dumbledore with genuine concern.

Ryou nodded. "He just gets like that whenever he loses. He'll be fine in an hour or so."

"And by fine Landlord means he will be an ornery son of a bitch for the next three days."

Bakura's prediction proved to be true. Over the next few days Kaiba would only speak when spoken too and it did not take long for the initiator of the conversation to regret their actions. He did not socialize with anyone. Instead he spent his time hammering away on his laptop. When Mrs. Weasley had pointed out that it was rude to play with his Muggle toys instead of helping around the house Kaiba had launched into a tirade about the difficulties of running a multibillion dollar corporation form the other side of the world in a house ruled by cult members.

After that no one spoke to him.

In the meantime all of the other potential students had gravitated towards Hermione. Though Ryou could instantly teach Bakura what he knew with ease he wasn't sure how his magical knowledge measured on the English curriculum and since neither of them trusted Dumbledore they figured that the best way to arm themselves was with knowledge.

Hermione had been thrilled to have her offer of tutoring taken up and she had forced Ron and Harry into the study group. Though they both grumbled about being forced to do school work in the summer Yugi was glad. He didn't want to cause a rift between Harry and his friends and Hermione's actions gave Yugi a chance to know them before school. Plus Hermione was a great teacher. She was enthusiastic and she knew what she was talking about. Even Bakura found himself not hating her lessons, which was high praise where the thief was concerned.

Yugi staggered to his room, throwing himself on the bed as spells and incantations floated through his head. He moaned into his pillow. As much as he enjoyed Hermione's lessons Yugi had never been exceptional in school and trying to cram in four years of education took its toll and he at least wanted to have a basis before he and Harry shared memories.

Yugi bit back another moan as he heard the door to his room open. He knew it wasn't the albinos. Bakura and Ryou had been hijacked by the Weasley twins after the tutoring session. From the reputation they were sporting it was unlikely for Yugi to see either of his friends until something exploded, and that should take at least an hour. Harry had been grabbed by Sirius to have a private discussion and Hermione had decided to go have girl-talk time with Ginny. Yugi couldn't think of a reason for Ron to come speak with him so that left one of half a dozen adults who would be interested in prying into his personal life.

Yugi sighed and sat up, keeping the pillow to use as a shield against whoever had decided to speak with him. He blinked, surprised to see a tall blue-eyed brunet standing in the doorway.

"Yugi," Seto nodded.

"Kaiba," Yugi smiled, pleased to find himself wrong about his company. Kaiba took the cue for what it was and entered the room, settling into one of the many chairs that seemed to have migrated into the space. Yugi stayed on the bed, kicking his legs and waiting for Seto to speak. Kaiba would talk when ready and not a moment sooner.

It didn't take long to find the words he needed. _"What happened between you and Atem?"_ Blunt and straight to the point.

"_What makes you think something happened?"_ Yugi fired back, trying to keep his tone steady.

"_Because he came into my office and told me you were dead."_

Yugi's eyes widened. _"Oh,"_ he answered softly. He gave himself a few seconds to calm down. Kaiba didn't push, knowing answers were on their way. Yugi struggled to put it in non-magical terms. _"He abandoned me. I was sick and he left. Harry found me and made me better."_

Kaiba frowned. He had known things between Yugi and Atem had been strained, but he never would have thought they were this bad. He leaned forward, clutching the bridge of his nose. _"He shattered that magical connection you guys have."_

Yugi frowned. _"You don't believe in magic."_

Kaiba shrugged. _"When in Rome."_ He caught Yugi's expression. _"Wipe off that smirk. I never said I was a believer, just that I was willing to indulge you in your fantasies."_

"_Of course,"_ Yugi agreed politely, his eyes still shining with mirth.

Kaiba leaned back into the chair. The room fell into a comfortable silence.

"_Can I join your little study group?"_

"_Of course you can, Kaiba. You had one more day to come around before Bakura took matters into his own hand."_

Kaiba snorted. _"Like that thief could do anything to me."_

Yugi just giggled. It was silent again. _"Kaiba?"_ Yugi inquired, _"Are you sure you are all right with this? You don't have to if you don't want to. I know that Mokuba…"_

"_Will be fine on his own. And it's not like we won't have a way of staying in touch."_

Yugi winced. _"Actually,"_ he murmured into the pillow, "_Hermione says that electronics don't work at the school."_

"_Really?"_ Yugi was surprised to see Kaiba grin. _"I'll take that as a challenge. But thank you for the warning. I shall make the necessary arrangements."_

"_I'm sure Grandpa would be will to help if you wanted…"_

"_I'd appreciate that. For some reason Mokuba likes the old man."_ Kaiba slouched into his seat. _"So, magic. Let me guess. That means there is some "out to destroy the world" plot at work here."_

Yugi laughed and nodded. When had he and his friends become so blasé about such danger? Still he told Kaiba the story, or what he knew of it. The taller boy just nodded throughout the explanation, keeping his thoughts, opinions and disbelief to himself. Yugi also gave a more detailed account of how he and Harry had met, still skipping the details of his and Atem's fight.

When he finished Kaiba let out a bark of laughter. _"No one can take you anywhere, can they?" _

Yugi threw his pillow and a pout in Kaiba's direction. The CEO easily knocked the flying object harmlessly to the ground, giving Yugi and easy grin.

Kaiba's easy demeanor vanished as the door was flung open by a distressed Ryou. Seto had already vanished back into his persona as the albino puffed for breath handing Yugi a sheet of paper.

Yugi paled as he read it.

"Mutou?" Kaiba asked gruffly.

Yugi held out the sheet with a trembling hand. "Our aptitude test," he explained shakily. "It's in three days."

"_Bloody Dumbledore,"_ snarled Bakura as he strode into the room. _"He's trying to separate us. I know he is. Bastard thinks he owns the world."_

"_So we'll have to do this sooner than expected," _Ryou answered shakily. "_We'll still be alright."_

"_Do what?"_ Kaiba glanced at the crazy not-twins with mistrust.

Bakura looked at the CEO and swore. _"What are we going to do about him?" _he pointed at Kaiba. _"As much as it would be hilarious to see him running around with a bunch of eleven year olds I have a feeling we will need all the help we can get!"_

Yugi pursed his lips, thinking hard. It didn't take long for a light to catch his eye as he broke out into a sly smile. _"Oh,"_ he answered lightly, _"I'm sure we can managed something."_

-x—x---x—x-

Dumbledore sat in his office, humming to himself. There had been no new leads on the half souls but Kaiba landing in his lap had been an unexpected bonus that promised new information. The boy had magic. He was going to be at the school.

And there was no way he would be anything but a first year.

That thought stretched out Dumbledore's lips. He had felt magic like Kaiba's before. Basically the boy's accidental magic had twisted itself, wrapping the boy in a protective cocoon that served as an anti-magical barrier. It was a rare occurrence but not an unheard of one. Yet because of it's rarity it was extremely hard to treat. Because the accidental magic had formed a continuous loop it left no room for actually wand magic to be performed, as all the magic was focused on maintaining the cocoon. The magic was too concentrated on keeping the user safe to be of any other use.

Normally it only occurred in children whose childhood's had been full of extreme duress.

It was unlikely that Kaiba had been any different. Dumbledore could play that to his advantage. Certainly the boy would be cold at first, but with time and love he would warm up. All he really needed was a mentor. A mentor that would help ease the suffering of him being separated from his friends and his age group. A mentor that Seto Kaiba would learn to trust and confide in. Then all of the half souls' secrets would be revealed.

Dumbledore's humming reached a crescendo, filling the office with a lively tune.

-x—x---x—x-

Hermione's jaw was resting on the floor by the time they had finished their story. She was sitting in a chair in the half souls' room. The half souls themselves were sitting on the bed, Yugi wedge in comfortably between Ryou and Bakura. Harry was sitting on the foot of the bed a little ways off and Kaiba was leaning up against the door. Despite the fact it was now close to three am Hermione was fairly certain that she had never been more awake in her life. And the knowledge she had just gained was well worth her surprise midnight awakening.

"That's amazing!" she exclaimed, her quick mind failing to provide her mouth with less generic descriptions.

Yugi gave a relieved smile. "So you don't think we're … creepy?"

Hermione shook her head. "You are amazing! I can't believe you've already been through so much. Though you," she glanced accusingly at Harry, "When were you planning on telling me about this?"

Harry winced. "Now?" he offered.

Hermione rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Are you going to tell Ron?"

Harry winced again. "No?"

"Why not?" Hermione demanded. "He's your best friend, Harry. You won't be able to keep something like this a secret forever. Why aren't you planning on telling him?"

"The Triwizard Tournament."

Hermione winced. A small 'ah' crossed Hermione's lips as she thought about Harry's answer. She hated to admit it but Ron did have some failings and this was far too important to have him charge off half-cocked and in a temper. "I hate it when you act all wise," she sighed.

The half souls let out a collective breath. "So," asked Ryou, "Are you willing to help us?"

"What would I need to do?" asked Hermione before she agreed to anything. Bakura nodded in approval. Yugi had been right. Telling Hermione had been a good idea. The girl was clever and she knew a lot. Plus she was loyal to Harry. She would prove to be a valuable ally.

Yugi wiggled.. He had no idea how the Hermione would take it the next part. Yugi sighed. Only one way to find out. "I'd need permission to access your mind."

"To do what!" Yugi could hear the stiffness in Hermione's voice. She was not happy.

He panicked. "Dumbledore is trying to separate us and we have no idea how to do magical, at least not the magic would we need to get into fifth year and now he went and scheduled our exams on the same day as Harry's trial, which is in three days and we haven't even bought wands yet never mind used them and there isn't enough time to study and since you're the smartest person here I thought that maybe we could use what you know to help us pass but I'd need to be able to read your mind to do so and that is really, really, _really_ rude to do without permission so I was wondering if you would help us get into fifth year." Yugi sucked in a long breath as he finished, his lungs burning from his airless speech.

Hermione stared, her mouth once again agape. "Isn't that cheating?" she squeaked.

"Oh no," Ryou shook his head vigorously. "Most definitely not."

"It's only cheating if it happens during the exam," Kaiba pointed out. He would be damned if he was in a class full of eleven year olds.

"Think of this as creative studying," offered Bakura. "Just because it is faster, easier and more effective doesn't mean it's wrong."

Hermione gave him a considering look. "Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "I trust them and personally I think we can use all the help we can get."

Hermione sighed. "Fine. I'll do it. On one condition." She looked at her friend. "No more secrets, Harry."

Harry nodded, feeling unexpectedly lighter. "No more secrets," he agreed.

"What do I need to do?"

Yugi clapped his hands together. "I need everyone to sit in a circle on the floor. Yes Kaiba, even you. Then you need to hold hands. Like this. And then all you need to do is relax as best you can. I'm going to see if I can combine the power of the puzzle and the eye. Yes Bakura, I know they broke. But if shadow magic hasn't been sealed then the item's power must exist somewhere, right? Everyone's holding hands? Okay. Good. Now relax. Just focus on breathing."

Yugi trailed off, slowly descending into his own soulroom. He smiled as he landed on the bed, bouncing. He quickly rolled off it. There was no time to dawdle. Time moved differently in the mind and the group wouldn't be able to explain it if they were caught. He moved to a shelf and began fingering through it. It didn't take long for him to find the gleam of gold. Smiling with relief, Yugi pulled out his mental representations of the millennium eye and puzzle. He held the items in his hand walked out into the corridor.

The first thing he spotted was an enlarged cupboard door. It was slightly open but Yugi averted his eyes. That had to be Harry's room and until Harry gave him permission Yugi would not enter.

So he walked down to the corridor. It ended in shadow. Yugi closed his eyes, concentrating on the shadows. A familiar cold began to seep into him. He grabbed it, focusing on joining the next mind. Soon he found himself walking past Ryou's door, the pale boy standing in the hallway. Yugi gave a polite nod but didn't stop to chat, focusing on joining everyone's mind.

His body was exhausted as he came full circle, stopping in front of his own door. But there was still more work to do. He held up the eye and focused.

Everyone gasped as thoughts began to fill their heads. Hermione could almost feel a touch within her mind, flipping through the pages of what she knew. The touch was gentle and hesitant. She concentrated on her studies, directing the touch to what it needed. She could almost hear Yugi's thanks.

Yugi pressed on, gently sifting through Hermione's experiences, making sure not to touch anything that was not offered. But it was difficult to keep the magic that specific. His concentration was threatening to slip. He was beginning to waver. And he couldn't let that happen. At this moment the group would be trapped in second year. It still wasn't good enough.

But Yugi was growing cold. His spirit wasn't meant to channel shadow magic. He wasn't sure if he could keep it up.

"I've got you."

Warm arms wrapped themselves around Yugi, pulling him into a warm chest.

"Just show me what to do."

Instinctively Yugi opened his mind. In a matter of seconds the shadow magic slid from him into his protector.

Everyone gasped as the touch and flow changed. The knowledge came faster, the remaining two years burying themselves in everyone's mind almost instantly. Then the touch withdrew and the strange coldness in their bodies melted, leaving heat in its place.

Bakura was the first to open his eyes. "Yugi?" He glanced over when the boy didn't answer.

Yugi sat in Harry's lap. The teenage wizard had his arms wrapped protectively around the young boy who was snuggling deeper into his embrace. Both of them had their eyes closed, their chests matching the soft rhythm of slumber.

"Did it work?" asked Hermione. "Because I really don't want to have to do that again."

"I would presume so," Kaiba stood as he answered, "Because I now know far more about Blast-Ended Skrewts than I would ever have hoped to." He stretched widely. "I'm going to bed. I suggest you losers do the same." He slid out into the hallway without another word.

"Charming." Hermione frowned after the billionaire. "Is he always like that?"

"No. The fucker is usually worse."

"Ah." Hermione flipped her gaze towards the sleeping pair. "Are they all right?"

Ryou nodded. "They'll be fine. They're just tired. Harry took over at the end. It was his first time using shadow magic. That is always the hardest."

"Should we move them?" As cute as they were cuddling together, Hermione was fairly certain that everyone else in the house would panic at the sight.

Bakura nodded. "I'll take Harry to a guest room. You should stay there too. Make up some story about reconciliation and falling asleep while chatting. The idiots here will lap it up like a kitten fed milk."

Hermione nodded. She helped Bakura carry Harry silently through the house even as Ryou curled into bed next to Yugi. The boy has whimpered when his heat source had been stolen but had ceased when a new one was provided. Ryou smiled and rubbed at Yugi's hair. Despite wishing to remain awake until Bakura returned he found his eyes drifting closed.

Bakura smiled as he returned to the room. Even he had to admit that the two hikari's looked absolutely adorable as they snuggled together, Ryou's white hair spilling like moonlight into Yugi's dark spikes.

As Bakura approached the bed his smile vanished in to a scowl of rage.

Those assholes hadn't left any room for him!

-x—x---x—x-

AN-You would never suspect that I _liked_ Dumbledore until I read books 6&7. Especially book 7. It just killed my love for him. And my respect. It was sad.

Sorry to those who wanted the Chess game. Maybe next time. Maybe against Ron? Who knows how these things will go? *smiles innocently*

For those who don't know what the eye and the puzzle do- the eye reads minds. The puzzle has the "power of unity" (It is totally mentioned in the manga in the big ONOES SHADI arc, but I don't think it is mentioned any other time. So now you know. )

Ps. I'm also doing a death note yu-gi-oh crossover (yes this is a shameless plug.)


	14. Bank on it

Calamity: Hey, I thought I would mention this now. Thank you to all the reviewers and thank you to all the readers.

Yami Calamity: Yeah. You guys are awesome!

Calamity: . . . Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my author's note?

Yami Calamity: I'm your yami. All Y-Gi-Oh author notes require a yami.

Calamity: OH _Hell_ NO! I'm not falling into that trap! *takes bat*

Yami Calamity. : Wait. Wut? What are you…?! AH GOD NO! OW! STOP! NO! ARGH *gurgle*

Calamity: *wipes off bats* As _I_ was saying, thanks to everyone who has been involved in this story. I really appreciate the support. I'll try to make sure I don't let anyone down. And to my reviewers: I try to respond when I can and if I missed anyone I'm sorry!

-x—x---x—x-

"And this," concluded Tonks with a dramatic wave of her arm, "is Gringotts." All that was heard was the shuffling of feet. Tonks frowned and spun on the group, placing her hands on her hops. "Well?"

"It's nice," offered Ryou in the hopes of appeasement.

Tonks hands fell from her hips, her jaw going slack. "What do you mean it's _nice_?" She asked incredulously. "This building holds all the wealth of the Magical World!"

"It's very nice?" Yugi stepped in, trying to rescue Ryou from the wrath of the psychedelic witch. He squeaked and ducked behind Harry at her expression. She opened her mouth, her jaw working furiously.

Kaiba cut her off. "The building's pathetic. Look," he pointed at the structure, "Do you see the discolored areas? The building has already needed patchwork but whoever was responsible for it secured a lower grade of the material. And the idiots didn't even bother to fix the original problem. Look, see there? That stone is eroded enough that it will soon need to be replaced. The original construction is obviously some form of limestone and the morons in charge of building this place obviously didn't factor in the porous nature of the stone. Until someone is fired for these atrocities this place is going to be brought down by water damage.

"And you say this is the only bank? The only one? Ridiculous! Just look at the security. There is one man-"

"That's a goblin," Ron corrected loudly.

"One _man_," Kaiba spoke over the red head, "guarding the doors and judging by the way he stands he is merely a greeter. I bet even the mutt could take him."

"I can assure you, Mr. Kaiba," spoke up Mr. Lupin in an attempt to save Tonks form the CEO's wrath, "That the security guarding the vaults is near impenetrable. In the entire history of the building there has never been an item removed without its owner's consent."

//Only because Hagrid and I removed it first.//

/Don't give Kaiba any more ammo. He really doesn't need it./

Kaiba sniffed exaggeratedly. "Oh, well, in that case the fact its _fine_. After all the only reason there should be outer security is so that patrons aren't robbed entering or leaving. And it's not like people bring or remove objects from a bank. Oh no, that would be _ridiculous_." Sarcasm dripped from Kaiba's tongue like acid.

"It would be a synch to pull off a job here," Bakura noted, eying the doors enthusiastically. "No one is paying any attention to loiterers," Bakura indicated the group. All you'd need to do is wait, pick your target and follow. And since this is in the only bank it wouldn't be hard to do a bit of research and maximize profit. "

Kaiba nodded in agreement. Yugi and Ryou shuddered. Kaiba agreeing with Bakura was definitely a sign of the apocalypse.

"This entire system leaves business vulnerable. Unless you use credit cards? No? I thought not. Imbeciles." Kaiba shook his head. "But I bet you are daft enough to make arrangements using credit. All you would have to do is wait for an exchange between two businesses. After all the money used would have to come from here, seeing as how it is the only bank. This is why us Muggles use _multiple _banks. Only idiots leave all their resources in one place."

"Kaiba?"

"What!" The CEO snapped, his glacier eyes zooming on the person who had dared interrupt his speech.

Yugi didn't shrink back. Kaiba had been impossible to talk to since the whole 'creative studying' incident. He and Bakura had been going at it nonstop since noon the previous day, fighting with each other or everyone else, and both showed absolutely no signs of easing up. Any attempts of disciplining either of the youths had been met with hostility and scorn. Yugi wasn't really surprised. Kaiba ran his own corporation and Bakura had been dead longer than anyone here had been alive. There was no way either of them was going to listen to a bunch of adults dressed up like Gandalf for advice on how to behave.

Despite the headaches it was causing their constant bickering had actually proven to be beneficial. The pair was unwittingly providing a constant distraction, which allowed Yugi and Harry more time to sneak off together. Yugi had actually managed to spend most of the day teaching Harry how to use the mind link. The wizard was still nowhere near perfect but he had gotten to the point where he could at least notice people in the outside world were talking to him when he was thinking with Yugi. Harry had also managed to put up a bit of a barricade. It was nothing that would withstand a mental assault but it would give Yugi a chance to relax his barriers without having to worry about he and Harry's mind immediately mingling.

It had also given those involved in the memory transfer who weren't behind distractions a chance to discuss what had happened. Everyone had woken up bleary eyed and hung-over. The wizards had dismissed the crankiness as exam anxiety and saw it as a sign that the boys were going to be taking this very seriously, which is why they were once again allowed to escape back into the study group. There they had run through their collective knowledge to see how much of what they remembered. After extensive prodding Hermione had been able to find no gaps in their information. She had smiled with satisfaction.

The next morning they had all gotten up early. Mrs. Weasley, Tonks and Lupin were taking them to Diagon Alley to purchase their necessary supplies. Everyone knew that Dumbledore would have preferred the magical items to be bought by a third party but wands were something that could only be bought in person. And all the cooped up children had pulled the "If they're going, I'm going" routine. In the end everyone, from Ginny up to George, had badgered, threatened, and pouted their way into the trip.

Which was never going to get anywhere if they didn't make it into the bank.

"Kaiba, the sooner we can enter the sooner we can leave," Yugi's wide eyes held hints of amusement.

"Fine," barked Kaiba, his jaw tense. He nodded at Tonks to show him the way, Lupin and Mrs. Weasley both glad they had taken up the rear. The group made their way into the bank in an odd silence.

Ryou was quiet because he was busy being nostalgic, his mind matching up the hazy memories he had of this place with its current reality. Bakura was creating a mental map of the street, hi mind running through various plots and antics while Hermione was observing how the new students were reacting to everything, trying to predict how well they would handle Hogwarts. She was a little surprised at how calm they were taking everything, despite knowing they had their own type of magic. This still should have been a lot to take in.

The Weasleys were also unusually silent. Ginny still wasn't awake yet, having used the only brainpower she had this early in the morning into forcing her way onto the trip. Ron was being silent because every time he opened his mouth Bakura or Kaiba would respond with a cutting remark that killed any possibility of conversation. This was actually why the twins were being quiet.

They were taking notes.

As for Harry, he wasn't being as quiet as he appeared. He had been giving Yugi the full tour, explaining which buildings he had been to and the experiences he had had there. Yugi had listened quietly because he was, well, Yugi. He liked to listen.

Even though what he was hearing now was going to lead to disaster.

"Do they seriously expect that to stop crime?" Kaiba started again as they passed through bronze doors. His eyes had caught the inscription on the silver ones ahead.

_Enter strangers but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sins of greed, _

_For those who take but do not earn, _

_Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

_So if you seek beneath our floor, _

_A treasure that was never your._

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there. *_

Bakura read the inscription. A devious smile began to spread across his face. "That's practically a challenge."

Ryou grabbed his sleeve, pulling him close. /You wouldn't!/

Bakura's grin grew. //Why not? After all,// he switched to speaking out loud, "That sign actually gives permission to rob this place. If it is as dangerous as everyone seems to think then make it in and out of one of the vaults is a task deserving of reward."

Everyone turned to stare at him. Yugi giggled.

Bakura shrugged casually, "Where you see a "Warning" I see a "Help Wanted."

Tonks gripped her wand under her robe, wishing she had permission to stun her charges. Her grip tightened as they made it into the lobby.

Kaiba opened his mouth again. "Look. Not a single one of those is guarded."

"Because you would have to be daft to even think about going down there," growled Ron.

"There there," Bakura grabbed the youngest Weasley boy's hand, "I'll hold you close to prevent you from acting on the urge." Ron yanked his hand away and scowled.

"And look at the way people are treating the employees. It's despicable."

Ryou looked up the CEO in surprise. "I didn't know you cared about people."

"I don't," Kaiba said shortly. "I care about efficiency. Putting people-"

"-Goblins-"

Kaiba spun on Ron. "If you interrupt me again I am going to hire someone to punch you. Now, as I was saying, placing people in a position of trust then showing them disrespect is inefficient. A good repertoire with the customer eases service a long, and if the customer has a good relationship with the employee then the entire establishment has an increased function, which works to the benefit of everyone. Yet here there is an obvious discrimination against the bank employees."

"That's because they are goblins," Ron muttered in exasperation.

Kaiba pulled out his wallet and went to hand Bakura a piece of paper. Bakura eyed it. "Is this going to be our only business dealing?"

Kaiba eyed up Ron. "I doubt it."

"Then the first one is on the house," Bakura pushed Kaiba's hand back.

"Ow!" cried Ron, holding onto his arm and hissing.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "You were warned you fucking sissy."

"Next!" Tonks could have fainted in relief as the group took their place in line. She smiled at the Goblin. He didn't smile back.

"Wotcher. We need to open two new accounts as well as exchange some Muggle currency for galleons and arrange a direct payment to the Hogwart's vault, as well as three direct withdrawals."

"Who has to exchange the most?"

"I'm exchanging fifty million yen," Kaiba stepped forward, confident he would be going first.

Yugi coughed and shuffled nervously. "I'd like to exchange a million dollars." Everyone shot him a look. "U. S."

Bakura was the first to find his voice. "Where the fuck did you get that much money?"

Yugi blinked in surprise. "Duelist Kingdom. You were there at the time."

"We though you gave it all to Jonouchi's sister for her eye operation," Ryou tugged at his hair. It was no wonder Yugi had been offering to pay for meals.

Yugi laughed. "Eye surgery doesn't cost a million, and the prize money was three. Plus Jonouchi wouldn't accept any more than that. So I used a little to pay his debts and Grandpa helped me set him up a college find. Then Grandpa had it put into an offshore account under my name. All the prize money from the tournaments goes into there and the interest is pretty high."

Bakura snorted. "The old man is gonna flip when he finds out you withdrew a million."

Yugi was shaking his head before Bakura finished. "It was his suggestion."

Ryou squeaked. "When did you talk to him?"

"This morning," Yugi admitted. "I got up at four to call the store." He shuffled his feet nervously. "Only Grandpa and I ever work there, so if Grandpa was home he would be in there, taking his lunch. I told him about the school and the costs and he said that this was probably a good amount, especially if we are planning to go back next year."

Ryou opened his mouth to ask a million questions, but Kaiba cut him off. "As much as this conversation is fascinating you are holding up the line."

Yugi paled. He squeaked an apology out to the goblin. The creature just waved and other goblins came over. "This is Gornuk. You will conduct your business with him," the goblin pointed Yugi and Gornuk out to each other. "This is Griphook and he will be working with you." The goblin gave Kaiba a beady and Griphook nodded in understanding.

As Kaiba followed his guide he heard the teller demand to see the keys for the Weasley, Granger, and Potter vault. He followed as he was led up the stairs to a private room. Without being offered he settled himself in a chair, waiting for his new business associate to do the same.

Griphook sat down. "How can Gringotts serve you today?"

"I need to open a vault and exchange fifty million yen into whatever the hell wizards use. I also need to subtract the Hogwarts' tuition from that sum."

Griphook started to scribble on the paper. "All Galleons, or would you like some Knuts and Sickles as well."

"I trust you to know what is best."

The Goblin wrote some more. "It would be my advice to go with sixty thousand Galleons, converting half of the remaining nine thousand into Sickles and the remain amount in the hundreds to Knuts. This would give you a total of sixty thousand Galleons, one hundred fifty three Sickles, and three hundred four thousand-"

Kaiba waved a hand, not concerned with the particulars. "I'm sure its fine. Now," he leaned forward, "I have more pressing business with you."

The goblin stilled his pen and looked up, slightly annoyed. "Oh yes?"

"Is it true that Gringotts is the only wizarding bank?" The Goblin gave a terse nod. Kaiba smiled. "Really? That sounds most inefficient. It must be especially difficult for the workers here to have to serve so many people."

Griphook's eyes narrowed. He set down his pen. "Speak plainly or not at all."

"I want to open a rival bank. I also want to lure away the employees here." Kaiba crossed his arms and leaned back.

"And why do you think any of our employees would follow you?"

Despite the angry tone Kaiba could make out the intrigued gleam in Griphook's eye. He held up a hand. "I can give you two reasons. Free dental," Kaiba raised a finger.

Griphook looked amused, but not overly interested. "And?"

"And," Kaiba raised another finger, "I would give you the right to refuse service."

Now Griphook looked interested.

-x—x---x—x-

Bakura held on to the sides of the cart as it raced down the track. He could almost feel how tight Ryou was shutting his eyes. Ryou had always told him how badly he hated roller coater rides. He had, however, neglected to mention how much fun they were. It was too soon before the cart stopped off in front of a vault.

Ryou practically spilled out of the cart. A concerned Tonks and Mrs. Weasley lifted the trembling boy to his feet, the rest of the group moving around to offer words of comfort as Hermione guilty opened the vault her parents had arranged for her to buy her supplies with.

As bad as Bakura felt for his hikari he was infinitely grateful with the opportunity provided. He smiled and vanished into the dark.

He never backed down from a challenge.

-x—x---x—x-

*Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling, Page 57

Calamity:+1 dead puppy. (Cyber cookies to all who know where that's from and why it's here).

The Galleon is often thought to be worth $7.50US. I'm using that rate since I'm familiar with it. And my math nerd was showing. Sorry. (But not really.)

Update might slow a bit. I've been a bit sick lately. But since I seem to update insanely fast I am sure you can cope and here is a small chappie to tide you over. And I haven't forgotten about the monkey.

Hope you enjoyed and please review!


	15. Plausible Deniability

Step number one, complete.

Step number two, in progress.

Bakura had wandered down the tunnel, silently catching a ride on the back of hurtling cart. He had jumped off without making a whisper of sound as the thing had crept lower into the tunnels. Then he had explored, quickly picking a door at random to be his target.

The door he had chosen glowered at him as he lecherously studied it, finding only a small keyhole. Bakura flashed it a lewd grin, pulling a small pin from his hair as he approached the door. Before working on its lock he gave it a loving stroke.

And blinked when he couldn't pull his hand away.

And growled as it began to suck him through.

Bakura hissed, rocking back on his heels, trying to budge his now submerged wrist. Unfortunately the door continued to suck him in like a wet noodle. In a matter of minutes Bakura found himself standing in a vault filled with gold and jewels. He held himself completely still, waiting for another, more fatal trap to activate.

When salt didn't begin to pour in from the ceiling and pressurized acid wasn't sprayed from the walls he slowly spun himself around, giving the treacherous door a glare. So maybe the wizards weren't completely stupid. They had bothered to rig at least one trap for unwary thieves. Then again, the idiots had made one that locked him where he wanted to be. And he could easily find a way out. After all, he was the Thief King.

But first he had something to attend to.

He pulled a marker out of his back pocket. He had started carrying one ever since he had gained a body. It was surprising how useful the little device could be. Countless students at Domino High had fallen asleep only to wake up sporting a new moustache and monocle. Or kitty whiskers. And as of yet no one had been able to connect the former spirit to these bouts of facial vandalism.

He pulled off the cap and began scribbling on the wall. The vault filled with the sweet stench of permanent ink and the squeaks of felt on smooth walls. Bakura pulled back and admired his handiwork with a grin. There would be no mistaking that someone had been in here.

Now all he had to go was grab something then leave. After all, it wasn't really robbery if all you did was break in. Bakura reached over to grab a coin.

And dropped twenty. His fingers immediately ended up in his mouth, his saliva both soothing and aggravating the burns on their tips. Through his fingers he growled. Just his fucking luck. Out of all the vaults to rob Bakura had found the one that belonged to a _clever_ wizard. The Gods were mocking him. Bakura scowled at the room. It was likely most of the treasure had been bewitched in such a manner, which meant he would need to not only make an exit but also find _another_ vault to rob. Which increased the chances of others realizing he was gone. Unless…

With his good hand Bakura held up the Ring. He could feel the Shadow Magic ready to jump at his command. He slowly began to concentrate on one thought. _Find me what I need._ It was a little vague but still the Ring twitched under his hand, its points all swinging up and over, pointing at the top of a large shelf.

Which Bakura couldn't reach the top of.

Bakura scowled at the offending furniture. A quick study of the shelf revealed that were he to do this the conventional way he would be forced to touch more of the accursed treasure, which would likely get him killed. Again.

The thought caused his lips to curl in a grotesque smirk. He _never_ backed down from a challenge.

-x—x---x—x-

Yugi dashed out of the office as though he had Rebecca Hawkins hot on his trail. He kept tossing terrified glances behind himself, just in case something had followed.

Yugi hated paperwork. Absolutely hated it. It was confusing, redundant and boring. And even worse yet, it was important. Which was why, despite his loathing for it, Yugi had made sure to read every snippet, including the fine print, before he signed any document. He had made too many verbal contracts in his life to risk penning his name on something he didn't understand. It wasn't surprising that there was no 'do this and we get your soul' clause, but there could have been, especially with Yugi's luck.

But the persistently vague notion that so far everything had been far too easy continued to persist the small boy as he scooted through marble halls tossing haunted looks behind his back. It was because of this preoccupation with a perceived danger that Yugi failed to notice the actual threat.

"Ompf."

The impact sent Yugi sprawling, his palms slamming into the cold surface. Well, not exactly slamming. Yugi felt himself sink a bit in a way that marble would not allow, but the surface was definitely cold like the stone. His fingers went numb as though they had been submerged in an ice bath, the sensation spreading up his arms and through his knees. He could see the inky black shadows swirling over his fingers and feel the familiar icy touch of the Shadow Realm.

Then he heard a noise.

Fearfully Yugi raised his head, peering into the darkness in an attempt to find out just exactly what he had gotten himself into.

He found himself staring into a pair of crimson eyes.

-x—x---x—x-

He shuffled his feet from side to side, anxiously craning his neck trying to peer over the counter. When he saw nothing, again, he began to shuffle his feet from side to side.

"Knock it off, mate," grumbled Ron as Harry bumped into him for the umpteenth time.

Harry scratched at his arm. "Sorry Ron," he absently apologized, continuing his scan of the doorway. He tapped a foot. "Shouldn't he be back by now?" he asked no one in particular.

"He'll be out when he gets done," assured Ryou.

"Hmpf," grunted Kaiba. "Knowing Mutou, he's probably trying to read everything. He could be here all day. I say we leave and come back for him later."

"Now see here!" scolded Mrs. Weasley, "We came together so we will be leaving together. We aren't in a hurry and the last thing we need is for dear Yugi to think that we abandoned him."

Ryou sighed at the woman's use of pet names, waiting for his darker half to join the twins in snicker. Mrs. Weasley was one of those women who seemed to believe that giving someone a nickname somehow created an immediate form of intimacy. Somehow, despite having dealt with so many, she had failed to realize that this was not the wisest choice to create a bond with a teenage boy, especially when one insisted on calling them these things in front of their peers.

A harsh silence met his ears. It wasn't a complete silence. There was still the din of the bank pressing around the group as people mulled about. There was still the snickering from the twins and the hushing sounds from the adults. There was still the swishing of Kaiba's newest trench coat. But where Ryou had expected to hear Bakura, he heard nothing.

He turned around, looking for his counterpart.

There was no one.

/Bakura?/ he could feel the ripples of panic through his own mind.

//Yes, Landlord?//

A wave of relief ripped through his body as he heard the familiar smug tone of his thief. He could almost picture Bakura raising an eyebrow at the bombardment of emotions. Ryou heard Bakura chuckle warmly, the sound soothing him almost as much as a physical touch would.

Speaking of the physical world, /…Bakura?/ Ryou inquired hesitantly, /Where are you?/

//Around.//

/Doing what?/

//I suggest you indulge in plausible deniability, hikari. It is a wonderful thing.//

/Bakura!/ Ryou's hand shot to his hair, firmly twirling a lock around his finger before yanking viciously as his mind ran through the things that Bakura could be doing.

A siren tore through the air. It was followed by the sound of murdered bubble wrap as wizards began Apparating into the bank, wands out and a read look in their eyes. Systematically they began shouting out orders as doors slammed shut, trapping potential suspects in the bank.

Ryou yanked harder.

-x—x---x—x-

"What were you _thinking_?" shouted Yugi, his small fists pumping wildly in the air. "We had agreed! No Shadow Magic! And then you-you idiot! You go and open a _portal_ in the _middle_ of wizard central! And to top it off you scared me half to death! You jerk!"

"Hey!" snarled Bakura. "You stumbled through the portal I was trying to use to _leave_!" The two paused to glare at each other when Bakura's face slid in to a slight frown. "Why did you do that?"

Yugi sighed and looked at his sneaker, which was currently tracing patterns in the swirling shadows. He mumbled, "Made me do paperwork."

"Ah." Bakura grimaced in sympathy.

Yugi looked up, folding his arms and pouting. "It still doesn't explain what you are doing here in the first place. I though you went to the vaults with.…" Yugi trailed off as his eyes filled with realization.

Bakura grinned and held up the golden cup. His smirk broadened at Yugi's moan.

The smile disappeared as a small hand grabbed his, gently turning it over while a feathery touch gently flitted over the burns.

"Yugi, I'm fine," whispered Bakura.

Yugi shook his head. "No you aren't. You're hurt. Here," the fingers glided over his hand, "And here," they touched the burnt material of his shirt on his shoulder, "And here," Yugi finished by caressing a bruise on his face.

Bakura pulled back, crossing his arms defensively. "It was worth it." Yugi gave the thief a reproachful look. "It was!" protested Bakura weakly.

Yugi sighed. Bakura was Bakura and there was nothing to do for it. "At least you didn't get yourself killed. Ryou would have been devastated." He continued to look Bakura over. "But we are going to have to either do something about your wounds or come up with a very believable story."

Bakura's smirk returned with a vengeance. "I have an idea."

"Kura-" Yugi's inquiry was cut short by the thief's hand as the pale boy's eyes lost focus. Yugi hovered anxiously, waiting for Bakura to finish speaking with Ryou. The connection was difficult to maintain between realms and would take all of Bakura's focus.

Before long crimson eyes had once again locked themselves onto amethyst. Yugi tried again. "Kura-" This time he was interrupted as a hand on his chest gave him the slightest push backwards.

"Ow!" cried Yugi as he landed hard on his tailbone. He pouted as Bakura emerge from the Shadow Realm, a grin of malicious delight on the thief's face. "Kura-" Yugi was cut off once again as the yami lifted the boy with an arm, slinging him over his shoulder. Yugi squeaked as he found himself staring at the floor of Gringotts but made no move to struggle. Despite the albino's idiosyncrasies, Yugi trusted him.

Bakura carried Yugi through an unassuming door, one that had obviously been set aside for employee convenience, or perhaps it was there to try and minimize the Goblins presence. Either way it served Bakura's purpose and with a few steps he was breathing fresh air in Diagon Alley. Bakura felt his chest puff. The Thief King had just become the first person to successfully rob the Gringotts Wizard Bank and he had done so without setting off any alarms. Never mind that he had cheated by using Shadow Magic. Results were results.

But he still hadn't gotten completely away with it.

Bakura spun, ignoring Yugi's protest as the world shifted, and raised a hand. With a laugh that he had mastered under the mind control of Zorc he sent a blast of Shadow Magic into the bank, activating every single security spell it came across. In seconds sirens split the air and the sound of popcorn gave way to the presence of more wizards. Bakura resisted the urge to whistle as he slipped into the shadows of the alley, carefully picking his way until he emerged on the other side.

Finally he set Yugi down. He grinned at the smaller boy. "Now we have time to do something about my current state. My host had mentioned that there was a hospital nearby." He grabbed Yugi's hand. "Let's go see if it's true."

Yugi shook his head at the thief's antics, but couldn't help laughing despite himself.

-x—x---x—x-

AN-I. Am. So. SORRY! I did not mean to take this long to update. I got sick again. And I'm on new meds. It's a very "AUUUU" kinda situation. Sorry this chapter was so short but I just haven't been able to write lately. I'll try and get back to updating more regularly, but I think I might need some perspective time. Expect an update once every 2-3 weeks until I get handle on this. Thank you for your patience, and thank you for your support. Which has been awesome. Seriously awesome. As of right now this story has 186 reviews, 133 favs and 196 Alerts. You guys are amazing! Cyber cookies to all of you!

And I will try to get a handle on this ASAP! Until then please have patience!

Thank you!


	16. Abandoned

Kaiba emerged from the bank hot, tired, and pissed. His morning was absolutely ruined.

The more of the wizarding world he saw the less faith had in the practicality of magic, which didn't actually exist, and the intelligence of those who used it, which was beyond lacking. It had taken the magic police, or Aurors as Ron had pointed out, an entire hour before they had begun interviewing witnesses. And despite having an Auror with their group as well as the wife of a ministry worker it had taken the small party another two hours before they were released from the controlled chaos of angry patrons, angry goblins and angry Aurors. Apparently having a werewolf in the party somehow magically increased the odds that they were all idiotic and sticky fingered.

So when the first face Kaiba spotted as he exited the bank was that of a smug tomb raider he did the only logical thing possible.

He slammed his fist into said face.

"Fuck!" shouted Bakura bloodily, the curse muffled by the hands over his face. His glare matched the liquid pooling in his hands. "You camel humper! You ruined my shirt!"

Kaiba's cobalt gaze was frigid. "You ruined my morning. I dare say we are eve-"

"You gave him a bloody nose! Mum is going to hex you when she sees this!" Ron pushed his way forward until he stood by Bakura, gawking as blood spilled from the albino's fingers and onto the ground.

Kaiba reached into a pouch and pulled out a small gold coin.

Bakura grinned. "My pleasure."

"Ow! You bloodied my nose!"

Perhaps the morning hadn't been a total loss.

x-x—x---x—x-x

Harry shook his head as he watched Ron walk into the proverbial lion's den. It was strange to think that a year ago Harry would have right there beside his best mate, and would have probably ended up just as bloodied. But a year was a long time and Harry had gained something that it seemed Ron was still lacking; survial instincts.

So instead of losing his head and rushing off to save Ron as though he were a damsel in dire need of rescue he circled the scene, looking for Yugi.

Tension he didn't know he was carrying was released from his shoulders as he felt a small hand slip into his. Harry looked down with a smile.

"Hey."

Yugi grinned. "Hey."

Together they turned to watch the unfolding drama as Ron blamed Bakura for a bloody nose, as Bakura told Molly that Ron hit him first and as Kaiba glared at the pair, daring them to mention his name.

"Are you going to tell me what you and Bakura were up to?"

Yugi shook his head, his hair swaying wildly. "Not now. And Kura will want to tell you himself. He's like that. He'll be upset if I spoil his surprise."

"Ah." They lapsed into silence a Ryou joined the fray, making beautiful Bambi eyes to show his distress at the thought of Ron harming his precious yami, which then caused Mrs. Weasly to redouble her vocal efforts at admonishment. When Ron rolled his eyes she grabbed his ear, dragging him down the street with the promise of all sorts of nasty chores.

Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin exchanged looks of pure horror as Molly Weasley abandoned them to a sopping trip with the half souls and the twins. They both realized that even as full fledged members of the Order of the Phoenix this was going to take all their skills. Together they turned to stare at the group.

"Right," Lupin gave a little wave, "I suppose we should be getting on with it then?"

x-x—x---x—x-x

In the end they decided to split up. Tonks would take the girls and the remaining Weasleys to pick up the fifth year school supplies while Remus would take remaining teens to deal with their more basic needs, such as robes, wands, and more basic school supplies like potion starter kits. The groups would head over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to grab a bite and then return back to Grimmauld Place.

Following his instincts that had allowed him to survive his teenage years at Hogwarts Remus decided that the wisest course of action would be to save the wands until last. After witnessing the tail end of the disagreement between Ron and Bakura, Remus was unsure who was more dangerous, the pale yami or the twins. He wasn't willing to find out by giving one a wand then allowing him to wander down the London wizard shopping district.

In the end this proved a wise decision. The trip went rather smoothly. Kaiba was too focused on making himself believe that magic was indeed not real to bother making snide remarks on the sheer idiocy of his fellow humans, muggle and wizard alike. Ryou was watching Bakura like a hawk, a hawk with bunny eyes, but a hawk nonetheless, and the yami was behaving as a model citizen whose dignity had been offended by raging ginger kid. Yugi and Harry, who had refused to be separated from the half soul, citing possible dangers in increasing the distance between them, were quietly chatting as Harry gave Yugi a verbal tour for everyone to hear, telling stories of fun things that had happened when he had practically lived in Diagon Ally during his summer before third year.

Unfortunately, the smooth trip meant that all too soon Remus was standing outside Ollivander's, trying desperately to find a way to contain the inevitable chaos of giving four sixteen year olds wands for the very first time. Steeling himself and dredging up every ounce of Gryffindor courage, Remus tilted his chin and entered the shop.

Yugi took one step into the dingy shop and gasped, his eyes roaming with wonder. But it wasn't the boxes upon boxes of wands that caught his eye, nor was it the blast marks that had accumulated from years of having tricky customers such as Harry. It was the feel of magic that washed through the store like sunshine through flower fields. Yugi could feel it spreading across his skin in gentle waves, scrubbing off the last dregs of his trip to the Shadow Realm from earlier that day. It was almost as comforting as Harry's tightening hand in his.

/This is… incredible./

Harry could only nod. It was the second time in his life that he could feel just how alive magic could be and he was enjoying it, especially since no one and nothing seemed to be trying to kill him at that exact second. He gave Yugi's hand a gentle squeeze and flashed him a small smile.

Then a small man jumped out from behind the counter and ruined the mood.

AN-Okay, so here's the scoop. I've been sick, I'm still on meds, and I'm in a different place than I was when I started this fic. I don't think I can finish it. In fact, I'm going to be abandoning this profile and am going to delete everything, so if you want a story feel free to copy it to a hard drive. You have until April 1st.

I am going to still be of ff, but as a different user. I'm also planning on maybe rewriting some of this stuff with my new style if I can when I finally get my shit together. Sorry to abandon you all.


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